College services

Colleges offer many services to help students feel more prepared for a study abroad, internship or first job. Learn about and take advantage of campus programs at your college. Each fulfills a specific need, and will help you stay involved and meet other people. Most campuses have a learning center, career center, counseling center, health center and campus ministry office. The names and availability of services depend on each campus, but some are standard.

• Learning Centers can assist when you fall behind in class or need a little extra help or tutoring in a specific subject. One-on-one tutoring and study groups are usually available. Centers offer a quiet place to study and access to computers. Others have programs and workshops to help you adjust to the academic demands of college by developing good time management and study skills.
• Career Centers guide you through the entire process of preparing for a future career. Services vary by campus. Some career counselors can help you get to know yourself by studying your personality type, interests and strengths. This is helpful in declaring a major, finding the right internship and developing career goals. Offices also offer resume workshops, mock interviews and job fairs. Others maintain job and resume banks to connect students with potential employers.
• Counseling Centers can help students who are struggling with adjusting to college or being away from home, and those who deal with depression, anxiety, addiction or other personal struggles. These services are usually free or at a significantly reduced cost to students. Counselors can also help you decide what your personal and professional goals and priorities are, and can serve as mediators in conflict resolution.
• Health Centers provide on-campus medical care for students. Nurses and doctors are available at varying times to diagnose problems and talk with students about healthy habits to prevent illness and injury.
• Campus Ministry departments often include a campus pastor or minister who works with student ministry groups and provides spiritual counseling to students. This office coordinates chapel sessions and opportunities for spiritual growth on campus. Campuses host community service activities, discipleship groups and Bible studies.

Off-campus study

Spending a semester or summer studying abroad or in another city is a great way to show employers you value different cultures and are willing to accept challenges. Besides enriching your resume, off-campus study will help you grow personally and professionally. Time away from home will teach you responsibility and independence, and living with other students from different backgrounds will diversify your views about culture.

CCCU offers several off-campus study programs for students attending any of the 105 member schools. Visit www.BestSemester.com for information about semester and summer programs around the world. Currently, CCCU student programs are in Australia, China, Latin America, Los Angeles (Film Studies), Martha's Vineyard (Contemporary Music Center), Middle East, Oxford, Russia, Uganda and Washington, D.C. (American Studies and Summer Institute of Journalism).

Colleges offer their own study abroad and intercultural experiences. Browse academic catalogs and talk with professors or admissions counselors about what school offers. You can often earn college credit or honors recognition by studying off-campus and doing special cultural projects.

Internships

Internships in your chosen field are another way to get valuable experience and apply what you learn in the classroom. The application process for internships provides a great opportunity to formulate a resume and cover letter and learn how to conduct yourself in an interview. Several off-campus and study abroad semester programs have an internship component, but you can also complete an internship in your own community. Each internship is structured differently-some are:

• Paid or unpaid
• Part-time or full-time
• Mostly observation or an actual job with responsibilities
• Required for class or done on your own time

The benefits of doing an internship are numerous. This type of work experience helps you meet people working in your field who can answer questions and write letters of recommendation. Internships enable you to develop skills and work samples to include in a portfolio. Finally, these experiences give you a chance to express yourself and get to know interesting people in the workplace.

Talk with your career development office or academic advisor about internship options and off-campus study programs. More students are interning earlier in their college careers to get more experience. Internships in a variety of organizations help you identify career goals and make you more marketable to potential employers in that field. Therefore, start your internship search early.