On Feb. 6 and 7, a group of 12 sophomores and faculty members Jean-Paul Benowitz, Dr. Brian Newsome, assistant professor of history and assistant dean for general education and assessment, and Jane Nini, director of career development, went on a retreat to Allenberry Resort to help students explore their vocations, their strengths and their weaknesses.
Every first-year student at Elizabethtown College, one receives The Rudder, a guide for the “first-year experience.” It aims to help students decide which major they would like to pursue.
Every sophomore receives Compass, a guide that focuses on the “sophomore year experience.” “The sophomore year becomes another transition. [This] could be a year where one is starting to question, ‘Is this the right major?’” Benowitz, assistant director of Academic Advising and director of Student Transitions Programs, said. “[They question] not because it’s the right academic fit to one’s strengths, but what one is going to do with the major.”
The vocation retreat focuses on the question, “What are you called to do?” “Let’s take [a communications major] for example. What kind of sports journalist or broadcaster will [they] be?” Benowitz said. “To answer that question you need to explore what is vocation, which means [answering] ‘What are you called to do?’”
“[R]ecently, I decided to change my major from business administration marketing to corporate communications and a business minor,” sophomore Jon Wolbert said. “I heard about this retreat in the past, and I only heard good things about it. One day while discussing paths with a professor, he recommended this trip once again, so I decided to sign up.”
The retreat consisted of various activities that focused on helping students find their specific calling. One such activity was scrapbooking using magazines. “There was one activity where we cut out parts of a magazine with pictures or words that meant something to us,” Wolbert said. “This was fun and creative, as we had to explain at the very end what each meant to us.”
There was also a “Strengths Quest,” led by Dr. Deborah White. “It is an inventory that you take, and then it explains what your top five strengths are from a list,” Benowitz said. “[White] goes through these strengths, and then the students can think about what are their strengths.”
The activities took place in groupings referred to as ‘base groups,’ which are “a small group assigned to a particular faculty or staff,” Benowitz said. “[They take] these bigger questions that we were discussing as a group and brought it down into a more intimate discussion.” Through this, students were able to obtain a more personal understanding of what their calling is.
Wolbert feels the retreat accomplished its goal. “[T]his trip did give me a better sense of what I want to do, but there [are] still some things I have to figure out about myself.”
Wolbert recommends this retreat to others. “First off, there is amazing food, and it’s free. What more could you ask for? But in all honesty, this is a great trip to connect with some of your fellow class that you may never talk to normally. You also have some great discussion on topics that will help you at any point in your college journey,” Wolbert said.
Finding a vocation is vital to finding a clear path through life. “You can have many majors and many types of careers, but your calling remains consistent,” Benowitz said. “There is something about you and your values that guide the kind of work you do.” The retreat’s pamphlet reads, “Vocation is more about who you are than what you do.” Both Benowitz and Wolbert feel the retreat explored this idea well.
Yet another retreat is planned to be a part of the “sophomore year experience” next year. The retreat’s format, location and date are still to be determined. 50 students in total have attended the last three retreats.
