POINT LOOKOUT, MO. — Forty-six College of the Ozark students attended the five-day Vocation Trip, traveling to the Kansas City Metro Area to meet with local business leaders and recent graduates, March 9-13.

The purpose of the Vocation Trip is for students to discover their unique abilities and to teach them how to employ these skills in their professional fields upon graduation. The course helps students refine their personal mission statement, resumés, and profiles on LinkedIn, while also allowing them to practice their interviewing skills.

“The Vocation Trip’s ultimate goal is to aid students in transitioning out of college in a healthy and positive manner,” said Jim Freeman, director of The Vanek Center for Vocation and Callings at College of the Ozarks. “It aims to introduce students to the value of networking, build their confidence in sharing their stories, and help them understand their identity in Christ.”

The first two days of the Vocation Trip were held on the College of the Ozarks campus, while the remaining days were spent in Kansas City. The students engaged in several activities during the trip that supported all five of the College’s pillars.

To support the College’s Patriotic Pillar, the students met with the U.S. General Services Administration to hear about public service opportunities. The trip supported the Christian Pillar through participation in a City Union Mission outreach to the homeless. The students also visited Commerce Bank to hear about potential business opportunities, which upheld the College’s Vocational Pillar. They also toured the Arabia Steamboat Museum at Union Station in Kansas City, as a way to explore the Cultural Pillar, and, finally, the Academic Pillar was implemented through discussions with recent C of O graduates. Additionally, the students met with Attorney General William Barr, who spoke on the value of Christian education.

“Life is about relationships and the personal and professional networks we develop,” said Andrew Bolger, dean of mission advancement and strategic initiatives. “This reality is never truer than when students launch from college. This is exactly why we created the Vocation Trip: to help students thrive after C of O by exploring their God-given vocation and callings and connecting with missional businesses and people.”

More about the Thrive Leadership Pathway

The Thrive Leadership Pathway is a four-year leadership program that aims to guide students along their college journey as they enter and exit the College.

•    Character Camp and Base Camp: First-time student introductory programs that help freshmen adjust to the College’s vigorous class schedule and workload.

•    The Call: A sophomore leadership retreat that focuses on the various ways different personality types serve as leaders and teammates at the College.

•    The Vocation Trip: A preparatory experience for juniors and seniors as they transition out of the College. Students compose a personal mission statement, resumé, and LinkedIn profile. The course culminates in a trip to regional corporations to introduce students to potential employers.

“We try to help our students see the bigger picture of what is available and how they can move forward to setting up strategies, so they will be successful once they move on after graduation,” Jim Freeman said.