Forty-six College of the Ozark juniors and seniors attended a five-day vocation workshop, traveling to Northwest Arkansas to meet with local business leaders and recent graduates on March 11-15.

POINT LOOKOUT, MO. — Forty-six College of the Ozark juniors and seniors attended a five-day vocation workshop, traveling to Northwest Arkansas to meet with local business leaders and recent graduates on March 11-15.

The purpose of the Vocation Trip is to discover students’ unique abilities and teach them how to employ those skills in their respective professional fields upon graduation. The course also helps the soon-to-be graduates to share their stories by refining their personal mission statement, resumés, profiles on LinkedIn, and practicing their interviewing skills.

“Students recognize that their vocation is centered on whom God made them to be; gifts, skills, values, and life-long goals, and their callings are now how they live out their vocation,” said Jim Freeman, director of The Career Center at College of the Ozarks.

The Vocation Trip began with two days at The William S. Knight Center for Patriotic Education on the College of the Ozarks campus. Students learned about servant leadership from the perspective of their professors. Additionally, local business owners and C of O alumni Matthew and Jessica Farmer, of Vintage Paris Coffee Shop, spoke on servant leadership and community outreach.

“Life is about relationships, and the personal and professional networks we develop support our ability to thrive throughout life,” said Andrew Bolger, dean of mission advancement and strategic initiatives. “This reality is never truer than when students launch from college. And this is exactly why we created the Vocation Trip: to help students thrive after C of O by exploring their God-given vocation and callings and connecting with missional businesses and people in Northwest Arkansas.”

Students spent evenings dining with recent graduates to learn more about life after graduation and opportunities to connect with local Branson businesses.

Networking in Northwest Arkansas

Students and chaperones traveled to Northwest Arkansas to hear from various businesses in the area, including 49 Financial.

“49 Financial is a holistic and value-based company that highly values teamwork, gratitude, loyalty, excellence, and authenticity,” said Esther Rea, junior public relations major. “Grace McCasland talked with us about what it looks like to be a financial advisor, shared tips with us about what an interviewer is looking for, and the types of questions we may encounter when interviewing for a job.”

The students also took part in conversations with leaders from J.B. Hunt, Harvest Group, Simmons Foods, Field Agent, and Fellowship Bible Church.

More about the Thrive Leadership Pathway

The Thrive Leadership Pathway is a four-year leadership program that aims to guide students along their college journey as they enter and exit the College.

• • • • Character Camp and Base Camp: First-time student introductory programs that help freshmen adjust to the College’s vigorous class schedule and workload.
• The Call: A sophomore leadership retreat that focuses on the various ways different personality types serve as leaders and teammates at the College.
• The Vocation Trip: A preparatory experience for juniors and seniors as they transition out of College. Students compose a personal mission statement, resumé, and LinkedIn profile. The course culminates in a trip to regional corporations to introduce students to potential employers.

“We at The Career Center try to help our students see the bigger picture of what is available and how they can move forward to setting up strategies, so they will be successful once they move on after graduation,” Jim Freeman said.