To The Editor:
Career Services will not take responsibility for the message that a student who doesn't pursue finance, consulting or advertising "has no place" as a Dartmouth graduate. Rather, we think that the editors of The Dartmouth and the Badly Drawn Girl cartoonist did their classmates a disservice by the April 17 cartoon representing Dartmouth Career Services as ignoring the range of interests held by Dartmouth students and convincing students to "sell your soul." Ms. Chokalingam's misrepresentation only re-enforces the anxiety that students feel that they only have a few options from which to choose. If she had attended Just-For-Juniors (as approximately 700 Juniors did), she would have had her perceptions corrected.
It is equally hard to fathom how the 'D' printed this cartoon, given the fact that it had initiated a several-page feature on Career Services about a year ago which informed the student body of its mission and de-bunked myths about Career Services. The main objectives of Just-For-Juniors were to encourage the pursuit of one's own interests/passions and showcase a range of careers. Over 40 alumni and seniors were strategically chosen for panels covering art, film, international theatre, broadcasting, television, publishing, journalism, education, the environment, clinical research, public policy, health, public service, public relations, marketing, pharmaceuticals, media " in addition to advertising, finance and consulting. Students reported that these helped to clarify their understanding of career options.
From individual appointments, to walk-in hours to blitz bulletins to targeted e-mails to outreach programs in residence halls, our message is consistent -- we want to help you develop a plan that fits your needs.
We are very aware of and know that we cannot control the peer-influenced 'buzz' about what success is for a Dartmouth student. We are very concerned that elements of the student culture help support some career interests and not others. Was Ms.Chokalingam a product of this very attitude? That is precisely why we see so many students for individual appointments -- they don't want to disclose their true interests to their peers for fear of being judged. We have helped students develop individualized plans in eco-tourism, culinary arts, hospitality, merchandising, science research, and others. Each term, newsletters targeted to the arts and sciences are sent to students. Recently, career information booklets were designed for students declaring majors in Biology, Anthropology, English or Psychology.
Ms.Chokalingam's message only isolates students from following their true interests. It is precisely this erroneous perspective that contributes to students not applying to opportunities that Career Services has cultivated. It is discouraging when opportunities like Americorps, the Smithsonian Museum, and national literacy organizations don't get a single applicant, because students don't expect to see opportunities like this through Career Services.
