August 2025 – vocation matters
Insights and Conversations from the Network for Vocation in Undergraduate Education (NetVUE)| vocation matters
Insights and Conversations from the Network for Vocation in Undergraduate Education (NetVUE)| vocation matters
The article discusses the integration of vocational discernment into a physics course at Pacific Lutheran University, inspired by a faculty workshop. Students engage in activities to explore their values and career paths alongside academic learning. The author emphasizes the importance of considering your cultural commute and the broader implications of vocational choices on your community of origin.| vocation matters
NetVUE’s podcast Callings has wrapped up its fifth season with a bonus episode featuring highlights from various interviews. It offers valuable insights and advice for undergraduate students on understanding vocation and navigating life's uncertainties. Guests discuss the importance of adaptability, resilience, and the complexities of pursuing one's calling amidst challenges.| vocation matters
The post discusses the intersection of systems thinking and liberal arts education. It advocates for integrating core curriculum with vocational studies, suggesting that a well-designed interdisciplinary minor can enhance students' understanding of interconnected challenges. This approach fosters critical thinking and moral ambition, preparing graduates for modern workforce demands while addressing global issues.| vocation matters
The series explores how historical sociological thinkers illuminate contemporary student struggles in finding their vocations amid societal challenges. This post highlights themes of anomie, technological disruption, and moral ambiguity affecting students' mental health and identity. Educators are urged to model adaptive behaviors and foster discussions around these challenges to support student well-being.| vocation matters
Creative writing pedagogy offers valuable insights for vocational teaching across disciplines. By emphasizing storytelling, community feedback, and personal narrative, educators can guide students in reflecting on their vocational journeys. Creative writing pedagogies foster specificity, helping students articulate their experiences while navigating challenges like self-doubt and imposter syndrome.| vocation matters
Drawing inspiration from Tolkien's "Leaf by Niggle," this post reflects on the tension between personal achievement and mentoring in academia. Austin Young Shull argues that interactions with students, often seen as interruptions, are essential to his vocation as a scientist and professor. This re-framing reveals how contributions to others' success expand one's calling beyond individual work.| vocation matters
Insights and Conversations from the Network for Vocation in Undergraduate Education (NetVUE)| vocation matters
This post reflects on the writer's journey as a young artist, discussing the importance of mentorship and serendipitous reading. It advocates exploring texts outside the vocational canon to enrich understanding and foster interesting conversations. Examples of insightful biographies highlight how stories can enhance theoretical knowledge, emphasizing the role of wonder in vocational discernment.| vocation matters
Many students encounter barriers in higher education due to systemic barriers rather than personal inadequacies. Faculty and staff are urged to redesign courses and support systems to foster student readiness. Collaborative efforts between institutions and communities are essential for enabling student success and creating transformative educational environments that honor all learners' vocational journeys.| vocation matters
The final episode of this season of Callings features Jennifer Herdt, a professor of Christian ethics at Yale Divinity School, discussing virtue ethics and the good life. She emphasizes that living well isn’t about self-gain but instead about being responsive to the world. Herdt encourages asking, "What is worthy of my devotion?" to guide one's vocation.| vocation matters
Joseph, a first-generation honors student, struggled in his first-year chemistry course, earning a C, which led to doubt about pursuing medicine. Many students face similar pressures regarding GPA and vocational goals. Institutions must proactively support students experiencing academic difficulties, emphasizing vocational exploration and mental well-being resources to alleviate distress and promote resilience.| vocation matters
Many colleges lack support programs for second-year students, leaving them feeling isolated and without direction. Institutions are encouraged to integrate vocational exploration into academic advising and provide tailored support. Initiatives such as high-impact practices, applied learning, cohort events, and mentoring opportunities can enhance social connections and address students' needs for purpose and career direction during their critical second year.| vocation matters
This post presents an imagined dialogue between Sarah and her mentor Joel, exploring the conflict between support of authentic vocational exploration for students and the pursuit of an idealized programmatic outcome. They discuss the dangers of constraining students with pre-imagined paths, emphasizing the need for individual differences and a more flexible approach to discernment.| vocation matters
