172WINTER LEADERSHIP Driven with a Vision Lara Lauterbach and Jacob Farr are hired as new co-directors of the Career Center. THE CAREER CENTER AT HARDING bridged the gap between education and vocation, and in fall 2021 the office underwent major changes. Two new co-directors, Lara Lauterbach and Jacob Farr, were hired and cultivated a greater sense of connectedness between departments and the student body. “Kevin Kehl was telling us about this great vision for the Career Center, and right away Jacob and I knew that was something we wanted to be a part of,” Assistant Director of Career and Vocational Exploration Lara Lauterbach said. Driven by their passion for helping students, the two codirectors shared tools and resources with them that aided career growth. The co-directors utilized their counseling backgrounds in their new positions. “Understanding people is important,” Assistant Director of Career and Employer Engagement Jacob Farr said. “It’s cool for us to hear a student’s fears and concerns and then move forward with them.” The two co-directors began to focus on a career-building process that started during a student’s freshman year, including the utilization of StrengthsFinder and PathwayU tests. “The long-term goal is to put together and define events and projects for each classification,” Lauterbach said. “For example, for freshmen, we really focus on career exploration and major exploration. We want to really help them start to discover who they are during their freshman year.” The new co-directors also formed the goals of increased foot traffic within the office and extending their services to a greater number of students. “We’ve started to make visits to classrooms to build awareness,” Farr said. “We’ve also utilized social media.” For the center to help link students to work opportunities, Lauterbach and Farr recognized relationships with other departments and organizations beyond the Searcy campus were essential. “When Jacob and I build better relationships in the community within and outside of the University, we will be able to better serve the students,” Lauterbach said. While the Career Center’s new leadership initiated plans during the 2021-22 school year, the mission statement remained the same. “Our job is to help students discover who they are and where they belong within the world of work within the context of [God’s] kingdom,” Lauterbach said. “We are here to help students get a little closer to that point of fulfillment.” WRITTEN BY ZACH BISHOP SERVICE WITH A SMILE Assistant Director of the Career Center Lara Lauterbach discusses opportunities with a student. The Career Center assisted students in multiple aspects of their career journeys. Photo by: Julianne Baker
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