Purposeful Work at Bates College

Purposeful Work

Grounded in the liberal arts, Purposeful Work is a mission-based initiative designed to help Bates students identify their strengths and interests, and position themselves for success in life and work.

Purposeful Work Internships Purposeful Work Internships are designed to help students explore interests, build skills, develop networks, and complement their studies with real-world experience in a broad range of industries.

300+ students participated in internships, research, and community engagement projects

238 students received financial support from Bates

97

students composed the inaugural cohort of Purposeful Work interns in summer 2015

119

students composed the summer 2016 cohort of Purposeful Work interns

When students were asked...

80

%

41

%

agree or strongly agree that “This internship program is a critical component in my pursuit of postgraduate purposeful work.” responded yes to “Have your academic plans (for example, classes you intend to take, thesis topics, graduate school intentions) changed as a result of this internship?”

“How have your career interests changed as a result of this internship?”

41% noted ”I am now significantly more interested in pursuing this field” 50% noted “Solidified my interest in this field” 9% noted “I no longer intend to pursue this field”

When employers were asked...

90

%

reported that their Bates intern would be a competitive candidate for a full-time post-graduation job.

2016 Purposeful Work Internships Across Industries

Healthcare

Nonprofit

Scientific R&D in Physical, Engineering & Life Sciences

Education

Environment/Natural Resources

Technology

Arts

Finance/Banking

Business Services

Entrepreneurial/Start-Ups

Consulting

Recreation/Parks/Sports

Insurance

Government, Federal

Food and Beverage

Transportation

Retail/Merchandising

Social/Human Services

Publishing

Marketing

Law

International Affairs and Development

Energy/Utilities

Architecture

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 3 4 5 6 7 7 8 11 12 16 22 Agriculture

Industry

Number of students

Bates, Harvard, and HBX CORe In 2015–16, Bates became a collaborating college with HBX Credential of Readiness (CORe), a digital learning initiative powered by Harvard Business School faculty. Through participation in HBX CORe, Bates students can expand their knowledge of business analytics, economics for managers, and financial accounting through immersive case studies and a fully interactive online platform. Twenty-one students have completed the program since February 2016, gaining a broad range of business skills, including financial statement analysis, regression modeling, forecasting, and valuation.

“

My Purposeful Work Internship helped me realize that regardless of advances in technology, libraries will always be necessary for accessing knowledge, and librarians will always be needed as guides and teachers. The experience also confirmed my interest in helping connect people with the information they want and need.

— English major Jeremy Glover ’17 interned at the Lee Road Branch of the Cleveland Heights—University Heights Library System in Cleveland Heights, Ohio.

Practitioner-Taught Courses Innovation and experimentation have always been

Through these courses students acquired a broad range

the hallmarks of Short Term at Bates. In 2016, 74

of skills, including how to:

students participated in Practitioner-Taught Courses

• Mix and edit music, and manage artists in a production

(PTCs), which offered the opportunity for creative

session

experimentation in a broad range of career fields:

• Brainstorm, research, shape, and pitch ideas for

• Brand Culture Building

publication

• Consulting for Strategy Development

• Apply strategic consulting methods, practices, and skills

• Filmmaking, The Creative Process

• Observe, analyze, and shift a business’ brand culture

• Journalism in an Age of Media Explosion

• Script, shoot, and edit films; give and receive

• Music Production, Recording, and Mixing

constructive feedback

“

“I’ve landed a dream job in a dream company, all thanks to the opportunities Bates has provided me through Purposeful Work.”

— Rhetoric major Rebeccah Bassell ’16 refined her interests and built skills and professional connections through her 2014 Digital Innovation Practitioner-Taught Course with Ben Schippers ’04 and her 2015 Purposeful Work internship with Peter Gault ’11 at Quill. She is now a digital production coordinator with Nickelodeon in New York City.

Demonstrated Student Interest

2017 Practitioner-Taught Courses

Enrollment patterns and student feedback show a strong and growing enthusiasm for PTCs.

94

%

of students said their PTCs provided them with skills they could use in future work

95

%

of students agree the PTC program is a good addition to the curriculum

93

%

of students agree PTCs are valuable and should be offered again

The Business of the Arts

Digital Marketing

Mediation and Restorative Justice

Healthcare Administration

Project Management

Purposeful Work Infusion Courses Purposeful Work Infusion Courses help students identify their strengths and interests by, among other things, connecting their coursework to exploration of career outcomes. The 31 fall

infusion courses were taught during fall 2016

2016 Purposeful Work Infusion courses included: • Environmental Economics

• Philosophy of Law

• Film Theory

• Theater Technology

• Intro to Epidemiology

• Working with Data

31

32

infusion courses were taught during winter 2016

578 771

• Mathematical Models in Biology Many infusion courses include alumni guest speakers discussing how Bates coursework shaped their career aspirations, while

students took an infusion course in fall 2016

students took an infusion course in winter 2016​

others offer students hands-on practice in fields of interest.

Career Confidence

As indicated by the Consortium on Financing Higher Education survey results, Bates seniors report significant increases in career confidence since Purposeful Work was launched.

Very Confident

Generally Confident

100

80

60 40% 24%

40

48%

44%

34%

43%

44%

45%

32%

20%

34%

41%

42%

44%

2014 2016

2014

2016

31% 27%

42%

38%

24% 34%

20

0

2014

2016

Identify appropriate employers and positions

2014

2016

Present relevant experiences and skills effectively

2014

2016

Identify graduate school options and fellowship opportunities

Network effectively

Effectively plan a career path

“Purposeful Work at Bates is about helping students align who they are and what they do. The more students are able to match their work with their authentic interests and talents, the less work feels like work, and the more it simply feels like a natural part of a satisfying and meaningful life.�

— Bates President Clayton Spencer