Holistic approach helps students navigate the future

Students in the Career Exploration Center

I am inspired by the students my colleagues and I work with daily, and this makes my work a delight and an adventure of which I’m happy to be a part.”

Deanne Maxwell

The breadth of work being done by the College of Human Ecology’s Student and Career Development group is vast and leverages a distinct holistic developmental approach for undergraduates that impact their student experience and next steps in life.

The work of the office focuses on guiding students on a thoughtful, personal, academic, and career development journey. While this work certainly involves managing traditional academic requirements, internships and job searches, the office’s philosophy encompasses navigating personal education and experiences to impact a student’s life and inform their career path.

“I would describe my work with students around counseling and advising as developmental,” said Verdene Lee; Academic, Personal and Career Development; Prehealth Advising; Multicultural Affairs. “I try to foster continuous dialogue about “why” we all do the things we do. This sometimes pushes students to think and reach beyond their comfort level and enroll in classes or participate in extracurriculars they had not envisioned themselves.”

Bringing together this personal, academic and professional exploration helps drive the approach of the office, as staff recognize that who a student is and what they do in their careers should not be at odds.

Counselors help students understand the connection between their academic life and personal career goals, and assist them in identifying valuable resources and empower them to make good decisions and to trust those choices.

This may come in the form of counselors working with students to prepare for graduate or professional school; develop personal statements; search for experiential learning opportunities including externships and internships; and develop job search strategies, such as job interviewing and marketing a Human Ecology education to employers.

“It is often our great pleasure and privilege to know students from the time that they are admitted to the time they graduate, and be a part of their experience here as it relates to their academic, career, personal and professional development,” said Deanne Maxwell; Academic, Personal and Career Development; Prelaw Advising. “I am inspired by the students my colleagues and I work with daily, and this makes my work a delight and an adventure of which I’m happy to be a part.”

Within the portfolio of the office, services provided includes academic and personal counseling for students; assistance and opportunities catered specifically towards the support of students of color; many options for students to explore other cultures and professional internships while studying and participating in programs off-campus; and research and design approaches for problem solving.

To learn more about the depth and breadth of the College’s Student and Career Development office, visit human.cornell.edu/studentlife.

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