Launch Yourself

Life is full of adventure. There’s no such thing as a clear pathway

Guy LaLiberte

It is time to test out your career and major choices!

• Wondering what to do next on your exploration journey?
• Eager to gain real-world experience through jobs and internships?
• Looking to jumpstart your career by getting involved on campus?
• Ready to start building your resume and personal brand?

Many students report that an experience or co-curricular involvement helped them confirm a major or career interest.

Take action!

• Check out the Student Life Experience Roadmap for an overall guide to getting engaged academically, co-curricularly, and personally.
• Start searching for internships or jobs off-campus. Career Services can help you create your resume, create your LinkedIn profile, and use their Handshake platform. Check out this find a job page as well for help finding employment opportunities in other states and around the world!
• Consider applying for a job on campus. Student Enrollment Services provides listings and information about finding an on-campus job. If your job search isn't yielding the results you want, visit with Career Services for ideas to search more strategically.
• Buff up your computer skills with Educational Technology Services' trainings and Technology Proficient Digital Badge for students. Or check out LinkedIn Learning for another option.
• Get involved in campus life. Student Leadership & Engagement can help you launch yourself. Catapult your leadership skills with the Magis Leadership Program or take the OrgFinder to find a club to join. You can choose organizations to follow and join on the Student Hub and also browse the list of organizations on MyUSF.
• Add an international dimension to your journey. Apply to study abroad with the Center for Global Education. An immersion trip can also be a great way to get abroad without doing a full study abroad program.
• Find a safe space to explore your identity and start becoming a social justice change agent at USF and beyond. Check out the Cultural Centers and get involved with the exploration and activism going on there.
• Look at the various ways to get involved with University Ministry and make the most of attending a Jesuit university. Consider attending a student retreat.
• Develop your civic leadership skills and promote the common good! Visit the Leo T. McCarthy Center to connect with non-profit and government organizations and get ideas for ways to get volunteer experience. Consider joining USF In DC, USF in Sacramento, McCarthy Fellows in San Francisco or one of their other programs!
• Check out the NetworkUSF site to connect with USF alumni and potentially find a mentor.
• Journal or talk to people you trust as you use these experiences to test out your major and career choices. Go back and Find Yourself or Explore Careers or Explore Majors if you aren’t happy with your initial choices or discover new interests. Even discovering that you don't like a particular path is progress!
• Check out our additional resources pages for extra ideas and more information on how to create your personal brand

Be inspired!

Check out this video of Katie Carey discussing how a global experience helped her decide to major in Media Studies.   For more stories like hers, we encourage you to check out our Youtube Channel or visit the Explore Their Path blog to learn about faculty, staff, students and alumni in majors and minors that you are considering!

Video and interview by Karen Ver Trinidad