An Answer to the Economy Careers for the Common Good

Author: Charles Goulding

This year Middlebury College is looking to better illuminate the path for students interested in careers in nonprofit social work. The Career Services Office (CSO), in conjunction with Service Learning, Community Service and the Student Employment Office, have collaborated to form a program called Careers for the Common Good (CCG) dedicated to helping students pursue not-for-profit social work while at Middlebury and also as a potential career choice.
The idea for the creation of the CCG germinated last year and has come to fruition after a long summer of preparation. Krista Siringo, associate director for career development and counseling, and Tiffany Sargent, director of service learning and student employment, headed up a coalition composed of faculty members and social workers from the surrounding community to develop the core structure and ethos of this new initiative.
When asked about the impetus for the CCG's creation, Siringo responded, "Our mission is to help students dedicated to promoting social responsibility. Our sense is that there's a real interest amongst Middlebury College students in pursuing social reform, and what we've essentially done is create an umbrella under which for them to do so."
Sargent added, "I'm amazed at how overwhelmingly positive the student response has been. It's as if many students are saying 'yes, finally, somebody understands what I'm about, what I want to do.'"
The CCG could not have come at a better time given today's unforgiving job market. In addition, Siringo explained, "The nonprofit sector is so broad, virtually all job functions a person may find in the business sector are available to him or her in the nonprofit sector. Most organizations the CCG promotes are looking for intelligent people to jump right in and assume a job of immediate responsibility. It's great experience, perhaps even better than some entry-level jobs in other sectors."
Of course, the appeal of a job in the field of social reform transcends its ability to serve as a stepping stone to the business sector. "A key attraction to working in the nonprofit sector is the intrinsic benefit of doing good work," explained Siringo.
She went on to note that most Middlebury students have a personal tradition of service, which supports the notion that promoting social responsibility can be rewarding on its own terms and already has been for a large portion of students.
The CCG program is not simply geared toward seniors, nor is it restricted to helping students solidify their career path. Their goal, first and foremost, is to help Middlebury students continue their tradition of service. Helpful career guidance is simply one of its core strengths and potential tools.
At 4:30 on Oct. 3 there will be a fair hosted in Bicentennial Hall celebrating internships in a variety of areas. Furthermore, the CCG is gearing up for a day-long symposium on Nov. 2 in which panels of invitees will discuss the nature of working in the nonprofit sector, followed by a luncheon where students can network with myriad organizations and potential employers.
Finally, Dartmouth College is having a nonprofit fair on Oct. 1 for which transportation will be provided for all interested Middlebury students.
For immediate access to information on the CCG, the program's new Web site is already up and running at this address: www.middlebury.edu/~CCG.htm CSO's website is constantly updated with their latest offerings.