Upon entering IUPUI, students have spent countless hours in school, hoping their preparation to that point will lead them toward successful careers. Searching for guidance, students approach career service staff, academic advisors, and student support staff, seeking relevant information that will assist them toward successful futures.
Enter EDGE, which stands for Exploration, Development, Graduation, and Employment. At the annual EDGE conference, facilitated by Campus Career and Advising Services at IUPUI, career service professionals, academic advisors, faculty, and career support staff from IU learn more about the integration of academic and career planning and are equipped with tools and resources necessary for propelling students toward productive futures.
One tool, EDGE modules, teaches students to explore and develop career paths, graduate with a plan, and select a career about which they are passionate. Among other advisors, Carlos Zapata, student success advisor in arts, humanities, and human services, has the option of utilizing EDGE modules with his students. These modules, now incorporated into the Canvas website, can have significant impact on a student’s future.
Zapata states, “When instructors incorporate the EDGE modules into their Canvas site, it provides opportunities for students to reflect on their values, interests, skills, and personality. It helps them to see the importance of making a plan for their future with the understanding that it can change, and it ultimately helps guide them to graduation, all the while providing them essential next steps for being prepared as they enter their specific career field of expertise.” EDGE modules could make the difference between a student’s success or lack thereof.
