By E.W.
Not knowing where life will take you after college can be downright scary. Even deciding which courses to take next semester can be extremely stressful if you still haven’t chosen your major, or you don’t have a plan for life after Gustavus. With the hopes of alleviating some of that anxiety, senior Economics major Andrew Vold has set up an outlet that will allow students who are just starting to sort out their abilities and interests to connect with those who have already been through it all.
Calling his program “Major Mentors,” Andrew Vold says this idea initially stemmed from a project in his Public Discourse class as well as through his experience with the Gustavus Alumni Mentoring Program. After realizing that connecting with someone already in the field is a great way to learn about different careers, Vold decided to take it one step further: Connect experienced junior and senior students with freshmen and sophomores so that the younger students have a reliable and knowledgeable source right here on campus.
Andrew says he has several goals for this program. First and foremost, he hopes that students take advantage of it. In order for this program to work, younger students have to be willing to contact upper-class students. Vold hopes this won’t be a problem because, unlike other advising meetings, the Major Mentor sessions are “peer-to-peer and very informal.” And if you are anxious about meeting face-to-face, Vold states that you can use email if you’re more comfortable with that. He also hopes that this program will remind students that, while Gustavus is a great place, the ultimate goal of gaining a degree is to prepare us for the future. Vold wants students to be ready when the time comes.
If you feel you could benefit some direction or advice from an experienced upper-classman and would like to get in contact with a Major Mentor, contact the Career Development for a list of names. You can also stop by and get the list from the CSL Peer Career Advisors Monday through Wednesday 5:00pm-8:00pm during the semester.