tomorrow’s leaders Inspiring
Students in the Early Start program learn about farming in Monteverde, Costa Rica.
Empowering visionaries of tomorrow
Solutions to problems yet to be discovered require dreamers, visionaries and leaders. The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences seeks to strengthen and inspire those who will shape the future and develop solutions through studies and expertise in language, culture and society, critical thinking, scientific exploration and discovery.
As graduates move into the global and evolving workforce, they will be prepared to think with empathy, solve tough problems and communicate efectively.
Future of the workforce
A hub for turning academic passions into purposeful careers, the Futures Center at The College ofers tailored pre-professional advising, career-focused programming and realworld opportunities that empower students to successfully navigate an evolving job market. The available resources help students develop skills, gain experience and build relationships that set them up for career success.
A global education Study abroad opportunities foster new perspectives, cultural awareness, independence and more. The College and its academic units have developed a range of diferent experiences for students to explore other cultures, languages, traditions and approaches to problem-solving. Participants can add a global education to their resume and demonstrate that they can thrive in global environments.
Supporting student success
Through The College’s Early Start program, firstyear students move to campus early, make new friends in their major and discover what it’s like to be an ASU student. The free program includes eleven days for participants to connect with faculty, learn college success strategies, explore the greater Phoenix area and more. Recently, students in the program visited Costa Rica to study sustainability, culture and history in one of the world’s most ecologically diverse regions.
Navigating Scottish archives for professional experience
Preparing Arizona’s future workforce
Online history graduate students have the opportunity to participate in hands-on archival research through a study abroad program created in partnership with the University of Edinburgh. Unmatched by other R1 institutions or online graduate degree programs, the experience enables students to analyze unpublished manuscripts, letters, diaries and newspapers to complete research projects related to intersections between Scotland’s past and topics that have afected the world, such as the temperance movement, Atlantic World abolitionism, gender and World War II.
Experiential learning, such as internships, study abroad opportunities and research apprenticeships, prepare students with careerreadiness skills that are essential for entering the workforce.
Funding is partly provided through the Laura Harris Hales Graduate Student Research Scholarship Award, an endowed scholarship named for an alumna, author and podcaster who died from pancreatic cancer. The award provides funding to ease financial burdens for online graduate history students pursuing research and professional development.
Connecting with cultures through language
Unfortunately, for first-generation and lowerincome students, these programs can often seem out of reach. The Futures Initiative at The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences hopes to change that.
The Critical Languages Institute in the Melikian Center: Russian, Eurasian and East European Studies ofers the study of 12 languages for students to immerse themselves in the cultures of Eastern European and Eurasian countries while completing their studies and gaining professional skills.
Through career counseling, internship and research scholarships and adaptable new programs, the Futures Center will help all of our over 30,000 become strong candidates in the job market.
As the most afordable summer language program in the United States, the institute is an intensive learning experience that provides a year’s worth of university language instruction condensed into one summer. Students practice their language skills in realworld scenarios, such as networking with the American Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan.
Connecting studies to careers
How you can engage with our eforts
Whether you are able to attend an event, donate to a cause close to your heart or share your own story, your support during the Changing Futures campaign can help The College empower students from all walks of life to make pioneering contributions to society. Together, we are building the foundation for a future defined by innovation and inclusivity.
Support the research and professional development of online history students in the School of Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies at asufoundation.org/hales.
Help the Melikian Center: Russian, Eurasian and East European Studies continue creating language and culture programs that help students engage with the world at asufoundation.org/Melikian.
Ensure students start their academic careers on the right track by giving to the Early Start program at asufoundation.org/earlystart.
Further the work of the Futures Center and its mission to serve students with their career exploration and preparation at asufoundation.org/success.
Hear alumni share their personal stories of successes and failures and tips for navigating the real world after graduation on the Learning From Experience podcast: thecollege.asu.edu/lfepodcast.
• Share your academic journey within The College and your career success story to be featured on The College’s website, social media accounts, newsletters and more at thecollege.asu.edu/story.
Since 1991, 2,886 students have studied over a dozen less commonly taught languages with institutions from around the world. Alumni of the program have gone on to work in careers with the Department of State, academia and the private sector, leveraging their language and study abroad experiences in their professional careers.
Real-world experience, in tandem with a college education, prepares students for career success. The Futures Center, housed in Armstrong Hall, ofers career services for all of our students, including Pre-Health Advising, Prelaw Advising, internship placement and scholarship support.
Launching space-focused careers
Improving internship access
Sheri Klug Boonstra, associate research professional at the School of Earth and Space Exploration, is preparing future space explorers through the Space Works and NASA L’SPACE programs, where students receive hands-on mission training and gain in-demand skills.
The Space Works program ofers semester-long NASA missionfocused and project-based workforce development classes. The L’SPACE Virtual Academy, also led by Boonstra, brings students from around the nation together through an online virtual network to collaborate on mission concept design challenges using mission practices, protocols and procedures in order to simulate decisions that actual teams experience in the course of preparing missions.
The Woodside Scholar Program removes the financial burden for students with unpaid internships at nonprofit organizations, encouraging students to pursue these internships, prepare for careers in the nonprofit sector and develop a commitment to lifelong community service.
Engaging online learners
Research experience is critical in preparing students for graduate school and other career paths. Online students at The College can get that hands-on learning opportunity through the Online Undergraduate Research Scholars (OURS) program, which provides remote and hybrid research opportunities to students in the humanities, natural sciences and social sciences.
“We’re training the next generation of prospective missionsavvy scientists and engineers,” said Boonstra. “The program is going way beyond ASU. It has another dimension that reaches nationwide.”
The Scotland Archive Experience is the future of graduate education at ASU. It embraces the university mission of access, academic excellence and public service by ofering a transformative educational opportunity.”
— James Dupey, Associate clinical professor, School of Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies