Bridging the gap between graduation and vocation
Messiah's Career Center helps students make the most of their opportunities during and after college
By Rebecca Buckham `05

After studying abroad for two semesters in Thailand and Uganda, Brittany Brendsel ’08 wants to address the injustice that makes it possible for some children to live in poverty while others lead lives of opportunity. Upon returning to Messiah College, Brendsel, who will graduate next month with a double major in sociology and international development, scheduled an appointment with a counselor at the Career Center for Vocation and Development to discuss her desire to attend graduate school. By continuing her studies on the graduate level, Brendsel hopes to learn how she can help develop culturally relevant ways to fight poverty. The counselor advised Brendsel on the graduate school application process and recommended that she take the free Graduate Record Examination (GRE) practice test, which is sponsored annually by the Career Center.

“After taking her advice,” says Brendsel, “I realized that I had a whole lot of studying to do before I took the real GRE.” Furthermore, Brendsel realized that the costs of her programs of choice—Tufts University’s Fletcher School of International Affairs and Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School
of Government—made pursuing graduate work in the fall financially impossible. She says, “I decided that graduate school was going to have to wait.”

Increasingly, students like Brendsel are opting to spend a year or two after college pursuing other activities before moving on to graduate school or launching a career. According to an article published in 2006 by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, career counselors around
the nation are encountering growing numbers of students who want a “gap year” experience. Websites like www.gapyear.com and www.idealist.org offer these students opportunities to travel, intern, or volunteer anywhere around the world, and they cater to a wide spectrum of interests and
availability. Whether a one-month conservation project in Peru, a four-month internship teaching women entrepreneurs in Ghana to use computers, or a year-long position teaching English in South Korea, transitional experiences can help recent graduates develop skills and explore possible
academic or professional paths.

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In this issue... From the president Ways parents can partner in their child's vocational development Meet the members of Parents Council     Journalist Sonia Nazario to speak at Commencement New giving opportunity exists for students facing a crisis Prayer & praise items