At each stage of your journey, there are milestones, activities, and achievements that you can look to for a sense of progress and to take stock of all that you’ve accomplished and the wonderful things you still have ahead! 

Explore: First-Year Students

EXPLORE your unique design, talents and calling to build your self-awareness, intrinsic motivation, life management skills and intentionality. As you discover academic, career and co-curricular opportunities that match your strengths and passions, the activities listed below will only serve to give you confidence and direction.  

  • Attend the August Connect Fair to learn about campus organizations and resources, local churches and businesses and more.
  • Develop and implement a personal plan for aligning academic and personal goals based on your Strengthsfinder results from UNIV 111 class.
  • Attend: “Focus: Time Management & Goal Setting” (workshop)
  • Attend: “Make It Happen: Launching Your Ideas Using Design Thinking” (workshop)
  • Attend: “Refining Your Purpose” (workshop) to explore your calling and passions.
  • Visit the Center for Personal & Professional Development to begin accessing our resources and services.
  • Get involved with a campus club and participate in service opportunities that align with your talents and interests.
  • If you tend to lead, attend Five Things Effective Leaders Do (workshop)
  • Explore local church involvement options.
  • Develop a balanced routine that includes healthy nutrition, exercise, recreation and mental health practices.
  • Explore options for part-time employment and/or internships.
  • Find a faculty mentor aligned with your academic major.
  • Join the Top Dawg Spirit & Pride incentive program.

Expand: Second-Year Students

EXPAND your knowledge and skills through developing a balanced student profile through co-curricular, community and professional readiness programming. Take active roles in campus organizations, investigate internship opportunities and part-time jobs, and choose a major aligned with your strengths/purpose. Develop a personal network! Throughout your second-year, these activities will build on the foundation you’ve already set:

  • Commit to an active role in at least one campus club.
  • Commit to regular participation in GWU sponsored service opportunities.
  • Attend the “Social Media & the Hiring Process” workshop.
  • Attend the “Networking Now:  You can’t afford to wait!” workshop.
  • Attend the “Intro to Internships: Essentials for getting started” workshop.
  • Attend the “Leading Effective Meetings” workshop.
  • Regularly attend GWU sponsored campus events.
  • Attend the “Highly Effective Teams” workshop.
  • Begin investigating PRE/internship options and narrowing choices.
  • Meet with your faculty mentor at least once per month to continue discussing your talents, purpose, aligned majors and career paths.
  • Actively participate in a local faith community.
  • If possible, work a part-time job and/or internship.
  • Customize your Webb Works profile and explore this tool’s features.
  • Access the Candid Career online portal from the resources section of our website to begin investigating possible career fields.
  • Develop an initial resume.
  • Attend a mock interview session.

Enhance: Third-Year Students

ENHANCE your skills, experience and preparation by investigating perspective communities, careers, and job options. You can do this through a wide range of opportunities, from career fairs, career prep and resume development workshops, professional image/communication events and networking activities to mock interviews, employment tours, and professional readiness experiences/internships. You can even serve in campus and community leadership/team roles to gain valuable experience. During your third year, these activities will take your progress and make it shine:

  • Participate in GWU sponsored professional networking opportunities.
  • Attend the Professional Image Dinner.
  • Attend the “How to Get LinkedIn” workshop.
  • Attend the “Essentials for Developing your Resume” workshop.
  • Attend the “Lead with Emotional Intelligence” workshop.
  • Take on a leadership role in a campus club or service project.
  • Plan/complete PRE or academic internship.
  • Participate in multiple career field investigation events including touring employment settings and informational interviews.
  • Actively investigate career field opportunities to narrow job search options.
  • Create and present professional resume using resources from the Center for Personal & Professional Development.
  • Meet with a staff member for the Center for Personal & Professional Development to discuss your job search preparation.
  • Serve in a leadership role on campus.
  • Investigate/prepare graduate school applications if applicable.
  • Attend Graduate and Professional School Fair.
  • Register for and attend the Metrolina Career Fair in Charlotte, NC.
  • Complete your PRE or academic internship.
  • Attend design thinking and systems thinking workshops.
  • Participate in job shadowing and informational interview opportunities.

Extend: Fourth-Year Students

EXTEND your personal and professional development into the real world. Whether you are networking with alumni in perspective communities, applying to graduate school programs, or just developing independent living and healthy work/life balance skills through our Common Sense Series and Workplace Readiness seminars, these steps are vital to your transition from college into the rest of your life. All of this will culminate in your success applying to, interviewing for, and securing employment in your chosen field. As you begin your fourth-year at GWU, consider the following activities:

  • Apply for jobs in chosen career field.
  • Network with alumni living and working in your perspective communities.
  • Complete your PRE or academic internship.
  • Attend “Reviewing Resumes like an Employer: Polishing & Perfecting” workshop.
  • Interview for positions in chosen career field.
  • Application and acceptance to graduate school if applicable.
  • Attend Common Sense Series workshop on personal finances and budgeting.
  • Equip and empower future leaders to replace you in your current leadership roles.
  • Join the Gardner-Webb University Alumni Association.
  • Attend the “Grad School 101: Applications, Tests, and Essays” workshop.
  • Attend the “Financial Aid 101: Paying for Grad School” workshop.
  • Register for and attend the Metrolina Career Fair in Charlotte, NC.
  • Attend the “Acing the Interview: Prepping for an Interview” workshop.
  • Polish your interviewing skills by participating in our Mock Interview
  • Attend the “What Every Employer Looks for in a New Hire” workshop.