What's New at the Center for Careers, Life, and Service 2015–16

The Center for Careers, Life, and Service empowers our students to live, learn, and work with meaning and purpose. We do this in a variety of ways, and below you'll find just a few highlights about our current programs and services.

As a new initiative for the 2015-16 year, all first-year students have been assigned a CLS adviser as a resource as they develop professionally, personally, and civically at Grinnell. Students attended a group session during new student orientation in August, which was based on identifying their top values and how these values contribute to quality decision-making. They have also been asked to meet with their CLS adviser as a follow-up during their first semester to get acquainted with each other as well as the CLS's resources, programs, and staff. So far, 45 percent of the first-year students have visited the CLS with hopes that all first-year students will take advantage of this great opportunity to be engaged and intentional about their professional, personal, and civic development early on in their academic careers.

We are currently recruiting alumni hosts for our Spring Break Externship Program, which pairs first and second year students with alumni for a three-to-five-day job shadow over spring break. Alumni represent a variety of career fields, and the program provides an essential opportunity for students to explore whether or not they'd like to pursue a particular field. If you are a graduate of Grinnell and would be interested in hosting a student at your place of employment, sign up here.

Students are already visiting the CLS to discuss summer internship search strategies. The sooner the better because some industries have fall recruiting timelines. We often encourage students to spend their winter breaks diving into the search and application process. Also, we are actively recruiting our Grinnellink internships, which are opportunities with alumni or friend-of-the-college connections, and are encouraging students to continually check PioneerLink for newly added internships.

Every year, our students venture into the community of Grinnell to serve at a variety of community non-profit organizations. This year is no different. We had a record number of students apply for our service-learning work-study program at the start of the semester, and they are now making a lasting difference in the community.

This year the CLS is offering all seniors a Grinnell Laurel Leaf-embossed padfolio as a special gift to celebrate their senior year and prepare them for their post-Grinnell life. Nearly a third of all seniors have already met with a CLS adviser and picked up their padfolio.

In the world of fellowships and awards, early fall centers around seniors (and alumni) who are applying for prestigious UK scholarships (Rhodes, Marshall, Mitchell), grants through the Fulbright U.S. Student Program, and the Watson Fellowship. Expectations are high for this year's crop of applicants.

Follow the CLS on Facebook for current information on campus visitors, workshops and events, hot opportunities, and interesting articles.