Rationale

As many young people enter into adulthood, they are bombarded with an emphasis on superficial, short-term success. Such short-term thinking tends to diminish optimism, resulting in a generation that lacks confidence and direction as they visualize their futures (William Damon, Stanford University). Only 20 percent of today’s youth have a developed purpose in life.

In the marketplace, many Christians are competent and successful, but fewer Christians understand how their vocational interests are interlinked with a Biblical sense of calling. Jesus said, “Come, follow me.” With this invitation in mind, the program of Pathways is designed to help each student reflect on a personal pathway that leads to the cross. By God’s grace, students will hear the call and walk the path with fully engaged minds, skills, and relationships.

Pathways is a program created to help students develop meaningful purpose in life. It is a program that includes a combination of personal discernment and career counseling which is integrated into the Rosedale experience. The impact of the program will aid students in developing a personal call that will ultimately support local congregations by strengthening a culture of vocation and call.

Components

Pathways Week – an annual fall chapel series focusing on counsel and testimony related to how presenters have discerned, or are discerning personal mission, calling, and vocation. Approximately once per month for the rest of the year there is a Pathways Chapel featuring the personal story of people from a wide variety of vocations.

Pathways Advising – Students are asked to meet at least once each year with a Pathways Advisor (faculty or other trained advisers) to discuss issues of calling and direction. For students who have identified occupational paths, the advisor will assist the student in planning for the most advantageous transfer path from RBC to a four-year college offering the desired degree.

Resources – Links to audio and print resources are available here on our website, and recommendations are available for students who want to invest personal resources on professional career counseling services.

The Self-Directed Search instrument prepared by John Holland is available for a small fee, and is one of many personal inventories available on the web for perons seeking to gain insight into their aptitudes and interests related to particular occupations and vocational fields.

Those interested in pursuing professional vocational advice, can check out the services of former RBC dean of students Tim Stauffer, now a licensed counselor with offices in Dublin, Ohio.

Recommended Reading
What Color Is Your Parachute?

Every Good Endeavor

Visions of Vocation

JustJobs.com – A cool job search engine, guidance on how to craft your value proposition, and more.
CollegeGrad.com – Specializes in entry level and internship positions.
CampusCareerCenter – For students, recent graduates or alumni interested in looking for a job or internship.
CareerBuilder – Search for jobs by category, city, or company.
Monster.com – It’s a beast!
SIT.edu – Study abroad.
Mennonite Central Committee – Relief and development in the name of Christ.
Habitat for Humanity – Support as well as construction.
Idealist.com – Jobs, internships, and volunteer positions.
Philanthropy.com – Listings from the Chronicle of Philanthropy.
ChristianJobs.com – Lots of postings, but some ads as well.

Career Services produces a report each spring about the previous year’s graduates. Information is collected through personal contact with the graduates and/or through an emailed survey. The reported graduates have all completed the Associate Degree in Biblical Studies.

*Positions classified as “related” include congregational worship leader, resident director in a college dormitory, lead counselor at a Christian camp, and a staff position at an urban youth outreach.