God’s Design in Career Preparation: O4U Convention at CSU

Published February 26, 2018 in News

For CSU to prepare Christ-centered, career-ready graduates, career preparation is a strong part of university life. This was highlighted especially during February 19–23, as the Career Services Center hosted O4U, an “Opportunities for You” convention that equipped students to work through their career choices and brought potential employers and organizations to campus to interact with students.

Design Thinking

Throughout the year, the Career Services Center helps students discover their strengths and abilities and make the best choices along their career path. Career Services Director Jeremy Yeckley began the 04U week in chapel by developing the concept of work as worship. He shared about design thinking, which focuses on serving the Creator, and he presented students with a Design Thinking Career Equation: Designer + You + Work = Your Calling.

Yeckley shared, “Design thinking for your career takes a biblical process of helping you remain Christ-centered and prepare you through God’s hand in your life to be career-ready as He brings you through this process.”

Connecting with Professionals

On Wednesday, discussion panels in a variety of fields included business, counseling, education, communications, sports and Christian ministry. During this hour, students were given time to interact with a panel of professionals in their desired field, asking questions, listening to advice and learning about opportunities.

Grace Dyson, CSU Trustee and founder of Life Design Careers, was part of the Communications program panel on Wednesday. She also presented an evening seminar regarding informational interviews, met with small groups of students and closed out the week at Thursday’s chapel. While figuring out a career can be confusing, Dyson encouraged students, “When you seek to UNCOVER what God has placed into you rather than seeking to DISCOVER a random career path, your life makes more sense.”

This week provided invaluable advice and experience for Breanne Guiles, a junior in the Communications-Media program. She shares, “I appreciated how specific and practical the career advice was. I am grateful for making Grace Dyson’s acquaintance and learning from her experience. O4U was an accessible venue for me to network with advantageous connections and better understand myself and God in relation to career development.”

Where to go from here

Yeckley and Dyson both encourage students to take advantage of the Career Services Center now. “Your career services department can help you with internships, connections, informational interviews, and generally prepare you for your future before you get there,” explains Dyson. “You should integrate career services into your educational development.”

Yeckley tells students, “We want to equip you with the skills you need to continue to make wise decisions according to your design.” The university experience is not the end of the journey; it is just the beginning, and the Career Services Center continues to help students as they move forward in their careers.

CSU also offers services to alumni for little to no cost. Access to an online job board, career assessments, consultations and resume/cover letter development are some of the benefits the Career Services Center provides students and alumni. For more, contact Yeckley at jyeckley@ClarksSummitU.edu or 570.585.9316.

Julie Wilson is a Communications-Writing major from Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania.