As any Colgate University student can tell you, it’s easy to get wrapped up in life on campus, balancing course work with extracurricular activities. Luckily, nested on the top floor of Benton Hall is the advising suite, outfitted with a group of professional and peer career advisers who aid in integrating career work into daily life up the hill.
There is no one-size-fits-all formula for guiding a student through the career search process. That is why Career Services provides individualized advising that focuses on students’ unique career interests.
Professional advisers are generalists by trade, so whether students are interested in a pre-med track or financial services, they can have an initial exploration meeting with any one of the advisers. Once in the door, the possibilities are endless. As students gain awareness of their interests and skills, they can be redirected to an adviser who specializes in the field for answers to industry-specific questions.
No two appointments will be the same, whether it is a résumé certification with a peer career adviser or stopping by for a last-minute question with a professional adviser. “One of my favorite things about the relationship I’ve developed with my adviser, David Loveless, is that I can be real with him,” says Gretchen Bowers ’22. “I’ve emailed David in sheer panic about a job opportunity, and he does a great job of offering perspective and providing next steps.”
In the fall of 2021, Career Services launched a four-year career development plan that makes the most of Colgate’s strong liberal arts education and engages students based upon eight areas of success. With the help of advisers, students build a foundation before proceeding with the rest of their career exploration.
Peer advisers can share insights from their own similar career journeys. Molly Hendrickson ’22 helps with résumés across all majors, often seeing students multiple times to help them decide if they are heading in the right direction. “Serving as a peer career adviser has been a great experience,” says Hendrickson. “Students are so eager to express what they’re passionate about, and it ends up being a creative and collaborative process.”
For Bella Stamati ’22 the advising team helped identify a path to clarity — and illuminate next steps. “Coming into Colgate, I had no idea what I wanted to do. Both of my parents are doctors, but I realized I wanted to do something business-related early on.” During her first advising appointment, she told Associate Director of Career Development David Loveless what she liked to do, and they worked from there. “Through Career Services, I learned how to connect with people in the professional world. This has allowed me countless opportunities I wouldn’t have had otherwise.”
Throughout its four-year career development program, Career Services is intentional in its approach. “Our goal is to not let this happen by chance,” says Assistant Director of Career Development James Reed. “We don’t want to stumble into success, we want to be able to aim for it.”
Make an advising appointment today at colgate.edu/ccsadvising or by calling 315-228-7380.