Center for
Life Calling indiana
& Leadership
wesleyan university
FIRST THINGS FIRST:
Starting the Advisement and Guidance
of First-Year Students by First Helping
Them Develop a Sense of Life Purpose
Dr. Bill Millard, Executive Director
Center for Life Calling & Leadership
Indiana Wesleyan University
th
17 Annual International Conference
on the First-Year Experience
June 15, 2004
Maui, Hawaii
FIRST THINGS FIRST:
Starting the Advisement and
Guidance of First-Year Students by First Helping
Them Develop a Sense of Life Purpose
Dr. Bill Millard, Executive Director
Center for Life Calling & Leadership
Indiana Wesleyan University
Ft. Wayne
MARION
Indianapolis
Copyright © 2004 Bill Millard
1
2600
Cleveland
Ft. Wayne
MARION
Indianapolis
8000
Cincinnati
Louisville
2000
indiana wesleyan university
Our mission is to help…
Ø
Dr. Bill Millard, Executive Director
enable students to find an overriding purpose for their lives
Ø equip them to make life decisions based on this purpose
Ø empower them to develop this purpose into world
changing leadership
We accomplish this mission through the integration of:
; Life Calling Curriculum, Assessment, and Coaching
; Academic Advising
; Leadership Studies and Development
; Career Development
; Community Service and Experiential Learning
; Collaboration with other university programs
A paradigm shift has taken place in higher education
as emphasis has swung toward the growth of preprofessional majors over the past several decades
while emphasis on liberal arts majors that pursue the
investigation of knowledge more purely for the sake
of learning has decreased.
Copyright © 2004 Bill Millard
2
Social Reform
Freedom from Want
Full Employment
Increase of "credentialing“
attitude in students and faculty
University “credentialing”
becomes a growth industry
college graduates majoring in traditional liberal arts disciplines declines
form 38% in 1971 to 25% in 1995
OBLIVION
COLLEGE
• misdirection
• confusion
Copyright © 2004 Bill Millard
OBLIVION
• survival
• self-promotion
3
25 percent of college graduates end up working
in careers unrelated to their college major one
year after graduation.
40 percent of college graduates end up working
in careers unrelated to their college major four
years after graduation.
Would you spend that kind of money if
they had a 40% chance of breaking
down in 4 years?
HUMMER
Pu
bl
ic
Copyright © 2004 Bill Millard
Pr
iv
at
e
4
Life Calling is larger than a job or occupation. It is
more profound than a profession or life’s work.
Life Calling is a confidence in an overriding
purpose for your life…
… based on a conviction that your life has
foundational value, a unique design as an
individual, and a personal vision that leads
you to take action in response to the needs
of the world.
Copyright © 2004 Bill Millard
5
Foundational
Values
Foundational values have individual expression as they
are conveyed through my unique design that can best
be observed in the strengths, passions, and
experiences that make me a distinct individual.
Foundational
Values
MODELS
MODELS
LIFE
CALLING
MODELS
LIFE
CALLING
There exists at the core of my life a set of foundational
values that I hold about reality, myself, and others.
Unique
Design
LIFE
CALLING
Personal
Mission
Foundational
Values
Copyright © 2004 Bill Millard
My foundational values and unique
design enable me to discover a
personal mission in life as I
interact with the world, formulate
a vision in response to specific
people and needs I observe,
and then take action of
personal leadership to
bring about positive
change.
Unique
Design
6
MODELS
CALLING
LIFE
MODELS
CALLING
LIFE
MODELS
CALLING
LIFE
I value others around me in
a spirit of community and
take actions of character
that are carried out with a
sense of compassion and
responsibility for others.
Foundational
Values
I value the reality of a
universe that comes from
an intelligent design and
have faith that I am an
intentional result of that
design.
compassion
I value myself as an
individual within the
intelligent design of the
universe and take moral
and ethical actions in my
life congruent with the faith
I have developed.
Personal
Mission
confidence in an
overriding purpose
for my life
Foundational
Values
faith
Unique
Design
character
My strengths and passions
are developed and shaped
in a distinct pattern based
upon my unique
experiences.
Unique
Design
My strengths are
comprised of four
components: 1) gifts that
are inherent in my life, 2) a
personality that is peculiar
to me, 3) skills that I
develop, and 4) knowledge
that I learn
compassion
My passions arise from
those things I desire
intensely. More than just
interests, they burn within
my heart and often drive
the actions or paths I take.
Personal
Mission
confidence in an
overriding purpose
for my life
experiences
Foundational
Values
faith
Unique
Design
character
strengths
passions
As my vision becomes
clear, I take action to carry
out the vision in personal
leadership.
Personal
Mission
action
Personal mission starts
with my response to
different types of people,
situations and needs within
the world.
compassion
Personal
Mission
world
vision
confidence in an
overriding purpose
for my life
Foundational
Values
faith
My personal mission
emerges as I begin to
formulate a vision for a
better future in response to
the people and needs to
which I am drawn.
experiences
Unique
Design
character
Copyright © 2004 Bill Millard
strengths
passions
7
MODELS
action
CALLING
Personal
Mission
world
compassion
vision
confidence in an
overriding purpose
for my life
experiences
LIFE
Foundational
Values
character
strengths
passions
9 W
LIFE
CALLING
MODELS
faith
Unique
Design
Pre
1st Year
2nd Year
3rd Year
4th Year
Graduation
Transition
Exploration
Connection
Interaction
Anticipation
Transition
Preparing
Observing
Hypothesizing
Experimenting
Evaluating
Formalizing
Post
Implementation
Validating
Methodology
HIGH
LOW
Self-Directedness Scale
HIGH
LOW
Self-Directedness Scale
Copyright © 2004 Bill Millard
8
Pre
1st Year
2nd Year
3rd Year
4th Year
Graduation
Transition
Exploration
Connection
Interaction
Anticipation
Transition
Preparing
Observing
Hypothesizing
Experimenting
Evaluating
Formalizing
Validating
Closure
Advanced Level
of Previous
Credentialing
Lifelong
Learning
Finalization
Continuous
Improvement
Post
Implementation
Methodology
LOW
Self-Directedness Scale
Differentiation
Personal
Awareness
Relational
Dynamics
Community
Service
Career Skills
Enhancement
Life Coaching Issues
Capabilities
Assessment
Liberal Arts/
Academic Skills
Major Selection/
Entrance
Experiential
Learning
Degree
Completion/
Life Readiness
Academic Advising Issues
Readiness
Assessment
Strengths
Analysis
Job
Scoping
Internships
Job Search/
Placement
Career Development Issues
MENTOR
MENTEE
Primary Mentoring Orientation
Pre
1st Year
2nd Year
3rd Year
4th Year
Transition
Exploration
Connection
Interaction
Anticipation
Preparing
Observing
Hypothesizing
Experimenting
Evaluating
Methodology
LOW
Graduation
Post
Purpose-based
first year course
Implementation
Transition
that includes mentoring
Formalizing
Validating in
Purpose-based
curriculum
introductory courses in majors
Purpose-based Life Calling
course for all first year
Advanced Level
undeclared
Closure students
of Previous
Self-Directedness Scale
Differentiation
Personal
Awareness
Relational
Dynamics
Community
Service
Capabilities
Assessment
Liberal Arts/
Academic Skills
Major Selection/
Entrance
Experiential
Learning
Career Skills
Enhancement
Life Coaching Issues
Purpose-based emphasis in first
year Credentialing
residence life Lifelong
Degree
Completion/
Life Readiness
Learning
Academic Advising Issues
Readiness
Assessment
Strengths
Analysis
Job
Scoping
Internships
Job Search/
Placement
Finalization
Continuous
Improvement
Career Development Issues
MENTOR
MENTEE
Primary Mentoring Orientation
Pre
1st Year
2nd Year
3rd Year
4th Year
Graduation
Transition
Exploration
Connection
Interaction
Anticipation
Transition
Preparing
Observing
Hypothesizing
Experimenting
Evaluating
Formalizing
Post
Implementation
Validating
Methodology
LOW
Self-Directedness Scale
Differentiation
Personal
Awareness
Relational
Dynamics
Community
Service
Capabilities
Assessment
Liberal Arts/
Academic Skills
Major Selection/
Entrance
Experiential
Learning
Career Skills
Enhancement
Life Coaching Issues
Degree
Completion/
Life Readiness
Academic Advising Issues
Copyright © 2004 Bill Millard
Advanced
There were
not Level
Closure
Center’s
Impactof Previous
on retention:
significant differences
• 27% enrollment increase
related to persistence
• 117% undeclared
Lifelong
between undeclared
Credentialing
enrollment increase
Learning
students and students
• 373% increase in
with declared majors at
sophomore undeclared
IWU. But at other
majors
campuses across the
state, undeclared
students were less
likely to persist.
9
Discover and develop a sense
of purpose…a Life Calling
Dr. Bill Millard, Executive Director
Center for Life Calling & Leadership
Indiana Wesleyan University
4201 S. Washington Street
Marion, IN 46953
Phone: 765.677.2520
Fax: 765.6772523
Email: [email protected]
Website: clcl.indwes.edu
Copyright © 2004 Bill Millard
10
LIFE CALLING
Conceptual Model & Discovery Process
Dr. Bill Millard
th
17 Annual International Conference on the First-Year Experience
June 15, 2004
Maui, Hawaii
action
Personal
Mission
world
compassion
vision
confidence in an
overriding purpose
for my life
Foundational
Values
faith
experiences
Unique
Design
character
strengths
passions
Copyright © 2004 Bill Millard
DISCOVER YOUR LIFE CALLING…
UNLEASH THE POWER OF PURPOSE IN YOUR LIFE
Bill Millard
(Written for the Templeton Foundation’s Power of Purpose essay contest, 5/31/2004)
My parents were both successful professionals—Dad, a psychologist who also served as
a college administrator, and Mom, a first grade teacher. As a young child I was taught to
read and was enrolled in piano and trumpet lessons. I loved to dream up make-believe
stories, but when I entered school, my teachers told me that it was a waste of time, and
they structured my life around the acquisition of knowledge and the memorization of
facts.
Problems began when my fifth grade teacher told my class that the sun was the largest
star in the universe. I loved astronomy and pointed out the teacher’s error in front of the
whole class. I was promptly sent to the principal’s office. This became a pattern, and by
the end of high school, I knew my principals better than my teachers. In the classroom, I
excelled in creative projects, but did not study and, as a result, ended up with average
grades. Teachers told my parents that I was a trouble-maker with no future. My mother
refused to believe them.
I compliantly went to college, though my less-than-stellar work in high school left no
hope for any scholarships. I had no idea what I was doing and found my first semester
boring. My work was mediocre in my English composition class, so I was not surprised
when my teacher said that I did not belong in that section of the class—I was accustomed
to being thrown out of classes. I was shocked when the teacher explained that I belonged
in the honors section of this class. In the honors section, I was encouraged to write my
creative dreams and earned the top grade in the class. With this experience as a catalyst,
I began to excel in the rest of my college studies. By the time I graduated, I was at the
top of my class. In spite of the diploma in my hand, I still had no idea where I was going
in life.
Although I was offered scholarships to pursue graduate studies in political science,
history, and law, my search for life’s meaning led me to seminary. Though I had done
well in college, my earlier life experiences in the principal’s office left me afraid of
failure. I sought out a counselor who encouraged me to vent my feelings, but did not try
to understand my values, my unique design, or my personal mission. Frustrated with my
failure to discover my life’s meaning in seminary, I dropped out and entered the Air
Force’s pilot training program. The government put a freeze on pilot training soon after
my entrance, and I was released. My career volatility became a family joke to everyone
except my mother who still expressed confidence in me.
I then decided to study public health, but after one semester switched to dentistry so I
could make more money. I was at the top of my dental school class when I realized that
though I loved the science and health courses, I hated looking in people’s mouths and
Copyright ©2004 Bill Millard
drilling teeth. Once more I dropped out and pursued graduate studies in secondary
education. After completing my master’s degree, I became a high school religion
teacher. During my six years of teaching, I continued my pursuit of life’s ultimate
meaning. However, it soon became clear that my religious beliefs did not match with
those of the school. Because my beliefs were often expressed through my teaching, I was
asked to leave my position—even though I was one of the school’s most effective
teachers.
At this point I pursued more graduate studies, this time in geology. After graduating at
the top of my class, I went on to work for an oil exploration company. I stayed in this
business for seven years and did reasonably well. However, in the office I was known as
much for helping struggling people discover solutions to life problems based on who they
were as I was for finding oil.
It then occurred to me that I had been helping people in this manner most of my life.
This was the purpose for my life! I decided to leave the oil business and pursue helping
others find a purpose for their own life. Suddenly, I was energized by my work, I
pursued a doctorate in leadership, and my impact extended over the lives of many other
people.
What compelled me to pursue so many different careers? Confusion coupled with a
determined search for meaning. At the heart of my actions and decisions, there was a
driving need to find an overriding purpose for my life.
It was not until I made it a priority to not only seek that overriding purpose, but to help
those around me understand the same thing for their lives, that I discovered how to
unleash the power of purpose. At that point, it became more than just a purpose. It
became a life calling.
Life Calling is a confidence in an overriding purpose for your life based on a conviction
that your life has foundational value, a unique design as an individual, and a personal
vision that leads you to take action in response to the needs of the world. Everyone has a
life calling. Discovering it and developing confidence in it is where problems arise. We
often confuse life calling with our job, but life calling is larger than an occupation, more
profound than a profession or life’s work. These are worthy purposes in our lives, as are
family relationships, community service, values, missions, and strengths. However, none
of them by themselves constitute our life calling. They are like individual rivers running
into an ocean. The ocean is our life calling—where all the various purposes for our lives
come together.
My pursuit of a life calling through relationships and circumstances was life-changing,
both for me and those around me. As this occurred, I concluded that for purpose to be
unleashed at a level that propels us toward a life calling, it must overcome four major
barriers.
2
Copyright ©2004 Bill Millard
First, for purpose to be unleashed at a level great enough to gain life calling status, it
must become strong enough to overcome the selfishness of indifference. Most of us
search for our life’s purposes in the context of “it’s all about me.” But when we invest
time and resources into helping others discover their life calling, our own life calling is
better developed and discovered through examination of who we help and how. There is
an inward and outward focus that must be pursued to discover our life calling.
Second, for purpose to be unleashed at a level great enough to gain life calling status, it
must become strong enough to overcome the comfort of complacency. It always seems
easier not to do anything, but doing nothing leads to nothing. When we take action, we
plant the first seed of achievement. The discovery of our life calling requires us to be
active explorers, not passive bystanders.
Third, for purpose to be unleashed at a level great enough to gain life calling status, it
must become strong enough to overcome the fear of failure. Most of us fear failure. So
we decide not to approach any significant challenges to avoid the opportunity for failure.
The problem is that when we do this, we guarantee that we will never achieve anything
significant. Most achievements come along with many failures. Thomas Edison had far
more failed inventions than he did successful ones. But he is remembered for his
successful ones. If we hope to discover our life calling, we must be willing to take risks.
Fourth, for purpose to be unleashed at a level great enough to gain life calling status, it
must become strong enough to overcome the avoidance of pain. Achievement always
includes an element of change. Discomfort and pain are noticeable indicators of change
and are nearly always encountered along the path to achievement. If pain is always
avoided, then gain likely will be as well. In fact, it is when we face the painful
circumstances of our lives that we often discover the clearest picture of our life calling.
If we hope to discover our life calling, we must be willing to change.
When the various purposes in our lives combine into a life calling, an overriding and
consistent context develops that motivates and guides a lifetime of endeavors and
decisions. Until that happens, we will never overcome these four barriers.
The discovery of our life calling emerges from exploration of three crucial life
dimensions: foundational values, unique design, and personal mission. This is illustrated
in the diagram on the following page.
The arrow in the model indicates that the discovery of our life calling starts with
establishing foundational values in our lives. We must then examine our unique design,
which gives us distinctiveness compared to others. Only then can we formulate our
values and design into a personal mission to make the world a better place
Foundational Values
At the core of each person’s life, there exists a set of foundational values the person holds
about reality, themselves, and others.
3
Copyright ©2004 Bill Millard
Life Calling Conceptual Model and Discovery Process
Faith forms the first foundational value. We value the reality of a universe that comes
from an intelligent design. We see ourselves as an intentional and meaningful part of this
universe, placed in it by a power greater than ourselves who gives us our life calling. A
call presupposes a caller, and this reality is what motivates us to search for our life
calling. Without that reality, there would be no source of overriding purpose and no
reason to search for a life calling.
Character forms the second foundational value. We value ourselves as individuals
within the greater scheme of the universe. Character implies that we do not merely
subscribe to the concept of faith in a higher power, but that we take moral and ethical
actions in our lives congruent with the faith we have developed.
Compassion forms the third foundational value. We value others around us in a spirit of
community. Compassion implies that our actions of character are carried out with a
4
Copyright ©2004 Bill Millard
sense of responsibility to others. Ultimate meaning is found not in self-centeredness but
in community-connectedness with a deep awareness of and sympathy for the condition of
others.
Faith leads to character and character gives rise to compassion. This foundation based on
values permeates all other aspects of our lives. When I was forced to leave my high
school teaching job because of my beliefs, it was my foundational values that gave me
the strength to stand firm. Later, when I left oil exploration to help people search for
their life calling, my faith, character, and compassion all played a role in the decision.
Unique Design
Foundational values may have universal application, but have individual expression as
they are conveyed through our unique design. This unique design can best be observed in
the strengths, passions, and experiences that make each of us distinct individuals.
Our strengths form the first element in our unique design. They are found in five
important areas of our lives: 1) spiritual strengths, 2) psychological strengths, 3)
intellectual strengths, 4) emotional strengths, and 5) physical strengths. Within each of
these areas, these strengths take shape first from the gifts that are inherent in our lives,
second from the knowledge we acquire, and third from the skills that we develop.
The passions we have for life form the second element in our unique design. A good
place to start exploring for our passions is by simply asking the question, “What would I
do if I had no limitations?” Our answers reveal a great deal about who we are and yield
important information about where we can be most effective. Passions are those things
we desire intensely. More than just interests, they burn within our heart and often drive
the actions or paths we take.
Experience forms the third element in our unique design. Our strengths and passions are
fundamental to our unique design, but these are molded and reshaped by our life
experiences. As an example—coal, graphite, and diamonds are all elemental carbon, yet
they end up with very different properties and uses, depending on how much heat and
pressure the carbon has experienced and how long the process lasts. Similarly, our
strengths and passions develop in a distinct pattern based upon our unique experiences—
whether these experiences are triumphs with rewards or mistakes with consequences.
Early in my life others observed that one of my strengths was the ability to influence
those around me. Many of my teachers saw this as a problem. My mother, however, saw
it as a potentially valuable asset that just needed shaping. Her inspiration gave rise to my
passion of encouraging others to discover their uniqueness and value. However, during
the first part of my adult life, I kept pursuing roles that did not match my strengths and
passion. I achieved a certain level of success, but I did not achieve a great deal of
satisfaction, and the impact of my life calling remained minimal. This time was not lost.
These experiences provided the shaping that my mother envisioned. In the end, a unique
design revealed itself and personal worth emerged.
5
Copyright ©2004 Bill Millard
Personal Mission
Our foundational values and unique design set the stage that enables us to discover a
personal mission in life. This takes place as we interact with the world, formulate a
vision in response to specific people and needs we observe, and then take action of
personal leadership to bring about positive change.
Personal mission starts with our reaction to the world. Life calling entails relationships
of service within community. Throughout the world we encounter different types of
people and situations with various needs. It is impossible for any one individual to
respond to all types of people, situations, and needs. Yet we are called to serve others.
To successfully identify a personal mission, we need the freedom to respond in a focused
manner to certain people, situations, and needs. To what types of people do we find
ourselves most often drawn? Mother Teresa was drawn to people in other nations, while
Martin Luther King, Jr. was drawn to people in his own nation. Leonard Davis and Ethel
Percy Andrus responded to older people and founded the AARP. George Williams felt
drawn to teenagers and created the YMCA. Fred Rogers had a heart for young children
and started a television program to entertain and educate them.
Once we identify the people to whom we feel called, we need to ask: What kinds of needs
touch us the most? Is it economic needs? Spiritual needs? Social needs? Educational
needs? Health needs? Environmental needs? Political needs? Needs of justice? Our
response to these questions will provide a focus to how we respond to people.
The second element in our personal mission emerges as we begin to formulate a vision
for a better future in response to the people and needs to which we are drawn. What will
that future we envision look like? Martin Luther King saw a world where children of all
races and creeds could hold hands in harmony and be free. How will our vision change
the world for the better? Mother Teresa had the vision that living in the poorest, most
disease-ridden slum of Calcutta to care for the sick and the needy would help improve
their condition.
Finally, as the vision becomes clear, we take action to carry out the vision in personal
leadership. This does not have to be an official, recognized position. Leadership more
often results from actions that impact the world with a positive influence in connection
and collaboration with others. That’s precisely what happened with each of the
individuals mentioned previously.
The development of a personal mission often takes a long time. In my situation, it was
near the end of my career in the oil business. I found myself drawn to people who were
confused about what to do with their lives. I began to develop a vision of organizations
where people discovered their unique purpose in life and where the leaders valued and
made use of its unique people. Then I took actions in my life that allowed me to make
this vision a reality. Sometimes I have been able to do this as part of my job, and at other
6
Copyright ©2004 Bill Millard
times, I have had to resort to accomplishing this in volunteer service. In either case, it
has become my personal mission and guides the decisions and actions of my life.
These three dimensions of life calling—foundational values, unique design, and personal
mission—are not isolated from each other. Instead, they are interactive and integrated
starting with foundational values and following a sequence, as indicated by the arrow in
the model. Our foundational values inspire the inward search for unique design, while
the inward search for unique design manifests the values we hold. The foundational
values we hold and the unique design we possess motivate and define the outward
response through personal mission, while the personal mission fulfills the foundational
values we hold and the unique design we possess.
We encounter the dimensions of life calling in constantly reoccurring cycles. As each
cycle takes place, we develop tools that help us explore more effectively each dimension.
The value of this is best illustrated when painful circumstances occur. At that point, we
are faced with a choice: we can choose to allow these circumstances to become baggage
that weighs us down into hopelessness, or we can choose to use life calling discovery
tools to incorporate these circumstances into strengths for the future. I had a hard time in
elementary, middle, and high school. Some of the things I experienced still impact me
today, but I have chosen to use those experiences to learn about the assets I possess and
then incorporate these into my personal mission.
The absence of any dimension greatly diminishes the potential power of our life calling.
If there are no foundational values as an anchor, there will be no hope when life and
circumstances get tough. If we ignore our unique design, there will be no clarity in our
lives and our efforts will be misdirected. If there is no outward response to the world
through personal mission, then our life calling will remain unfulfilled.
On the journey that leads to the discovery of our life calling, we are all on either the
giving or receiving end of some relationship. In any of these relationships, one person
believing in us can make an amazing difference in our confidence about our life calling.
For me that one person was my mother. She continually encouraged me that I could do
whatever I set my heart to do. Here is the challenge for each of us. In whatever
relationship we find ourselves, we should make it our number one priority to help those
around us to understand the foundational values in their lives, to explore their uniqueness,
and to pursue a personal mission in life. There will be times when personal
responsibility requires us to make career choices that may not be directly compatible with
our life calling. Circumstances will continue to catch us by surprise. Our imperfections
will still get in our way at times. We will still misread the road map for our lives on
occasion and suffer the consequences. But if we regularly encourage and support each
other to seek a life calling in our lives, a beacon will begin to brighten the darkness of
confusion and despair that seems so often to grip our lives.
The search for my life calling has continued to unfold over five decades. The journey has
taken me through mistakes and failures. Rather than letting these hold me captive, I have
instead used these experiences to instruct me. When I was forced out of my job as a high
7
Copyright ©2004 Bill Millard
school teacher, I may have lost a job but I did not lose my life calling. The journey has
not been easy and the skeptics and critics have been many. But there was one motivating
champion for much of the way—my mother. She believed in me even in the darkest
times. Her example taught me that it only takes one strong advocate to help a person
overcome a host of difficulties and detractors. By the time she died an early death, her
unconditional love, encouragement, and support had inspired me to discover a life calling
and to help others to do the same. At that point, I unleashed the power of purpose in my
life!
8
Copyright ©2004 Bill Millard
Center for
Life Calling indiana
& Leadership
wesleyan university
Dr. Bill Millard
th
17 Annual International Conference on the First-Year Experience
June 15, 2004
Maui, Hawaii
STAGE-APPROPRIATE LIFE CALLING DEVELOPMENTAL MODEL
st
rd
Pre
1 Year
2nd Year
3 Year
4th Year
Graduation
Post
Transition
Exploration
Connection
Interaction
Anticipation
Transition
Implementation
High
Low
Self-Directedness
Preparing
Observing
Hypothesizing Experimenting
Evaluating
Formalizing
Validating
Closure
Advanced Levels
of Previous
Credentialing
Lifelong Learning
Methodology
Differentiation
Personal
Awareness
Relational
Dynamics
Community
Service
Career Skills
Enhancement
Life Coaching Issues
Capabilities
Assessment
Liberal Arts/ Major Selection
Academic Skills
& Entrance
Experiential
Learning
Degree
Completion/
Life Readiness
Academic Advising Issues
Readiness
Assessment
Strengths
Analysis
Job
Scoping
Internships
Job Search/
Placement
Finalization
Continuous Improvement
Career Development Issues
Mentor
P
e
e
r
explain to
me what
mentoring is
Mentee
mentee
seeking
mentor
peer mentors
seeking
each other
mentors
seeking
mentees
mentees
seeking
career mentors
mentor/
mentee
celebration
individuals seeking
mentor, mentee, and peer
relationships
Primary Mentoring Orientation Issues
Copyright © 2004 Bill Millard
DISCOVERING A LIFE CALLING:
A PURPOSE-BASED APPROACH TO NAVIGATING COLLEGE TRANSITIONS
Bill Millard, Ed.D.
Executive Director, Center for Life Calling & Leadership
Indiana Wesleyan University
4201 S. Washington St.
Marion, IN 46953
phone: 765.677.2520
fax: 765.677.2523
email: [email protected]
website: clcl.indwes.edu
May 2004
About Campus
Feature Department
Publication Draft Copyright © 2004 Bill Millard
Publication Draft Copyright © 2004 Bill Millard
Page 0
The passage from high school into college continues to be a much-heralded transition for
students, with first year programs springing up on nearly every campus of higher education.
However, the first year struggles are not the end of transitions for college students. By the time
they march down the graduation aisle at the other end of the college experience, students will
have encountered an entire series of serious transitions—each with its own set of challenges and
pitfalls. Equipping students to successfully navigate through these passages may be the most
important element in making the college experience a meaningful and productive time. At
Indiana Wesleyan University (IWU), we are attempting to accomplish this by exploring a
transitional map through the creation of a unified model that employs a strong, comprehensive
purpose-based approach to the college experience.
The academic programs of IWU, similar to most other colleges and universities, reflect a
paradigm shift in higher education. There is an increasing focus on pre-professional majors that
train individuals for the workplace. We have found, however, that this approach poses problems
if the subject of purpose is not intentionally addressed.
The shift toward pre-professional programs is fueled by the assumption that they are more
practical and will help students be more successful in the job market. A fair question, then, is
how well does pre-professional training work? If the purpose of American higher education is
mainly to provide a solid pre-professional training, then data show that it may not be working
that effectively. Studies from the United States Department of Education show that 25 percent of
college graduates end up working in careers unrelated to their college major one year after
graduation. The problem is accentuated even further out from college when the percentage of
college graduates working in careers unrelated to their college major increases to over 40 percent
four years after graduation. This disconnect continues to grow beyond four years.
According to the College Board, the average cost of a four-year college education in 2004 is over
$42,000 for students attending public colleges and universities and over $107,000 for students at
private colleges and universities. This is a sizable investment that colleges and universities ask
students and families to make given that the pre-professional preparation has a better than 25
percent chance of being abandoned after one year and a 40 percent chance at the end of four
years. Something greater than just preparation for a particular profession or career must be
gained to make the college experience valuable.
What causes the breakdown or disconnect between a college major and the career path?
Consider the traditional career development model that higher education often follows. A
student entering college from high school is encouraged to choose a major course of study,
usually based on an interest expressed by the student (or, as is often the case, the parent). From
this major, a promising career is selected based on job availability, pay level, and growth of jobs
within that profession. Once a person is in the career, hopefully some sense of purpose or calling
will spring up.
At IWU we have concluded that this is the exact opposite approach to what the model should be.
Instead, we reverse the process. Students entering college are encouraged to explore their life
purpose and develop a sense of life calling. Once an awareness of life calling has been
established, an appropriate career is identified that supports the life calling. Finally, a major
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course of study is pursued that most effectively prepares students for that career and their life
calling. IWU has created a Center for Life Calling and Leadership to support this model by
infusing a life-calling discovery process across the academic structure and experience of our
campus.
How does the discovery of life calling best occur?
Let’s stop for a moment and define what we mean by that term “life calling.” Life Calling is
confidence of an overriding purpose for one’s life based on the ultimate meaning of one’s life, an
understanding of one’s unique design, and a personal response to the needs of the world. Life
calling, then, is something that is larger than a job, profession, or career. Our contention is that
everyone has a life calling. There is a purpose for our lives, and we have the ability to discover
this purpose as we pursue life congruence based on self-awareness. This is what distinguishes us
from other animals.
If students only train for a profession and then connect with that profession without delving
deeper into the fundamentals that help establish a sense of purpose and life calling, they will
graduate with a purpose-deficient experience even though they may be adequately or excellently
equipped to carry out the duties of a selected career. Without that sense of purpose and life
calling, as the statistics predict, students will easily jump careers in just a few years out of
college. Why? They will not have the staying power to endure adversity (which occurs in all
careers) or they will be lured to follow what appear to be better opportunities—which may or
may not be based in reality. In either case, there is no sense of purpose or life calling anchoring
the decisions made.
The Center for Life Calling and Leadership is vigorously exploring what is necessary for
discovering life calling. Our current hypothesis is that this discovery process is similar to the
process of learning to read. In fact we have patterned our exploration after a national research
effort on reading described by Reid Lyon, Chief, Child Development & Behavior Branch,
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health (NIH).
The NIH found that reading is learned in a combination of the child’s home, school, and
community. Children who have spent their first four or five years in a home where there is a
deep love of reading and a rich vocabulary enter kindergarten with a high level of language
skills. They attain this level without being aware of how they did it. In that rich environment,
the children’s brains accomplished this without formal training. However, where this rich
environment does not occur, the natural thought patterns are not developed, and significant
remediation will be required during the school years.
We propose that the same process occurs for discovery of a life calling or purpose. In homes
where individuals have grown up talking about the meaning of life, exploring unique strengths,
and engaging in community service, there is a strong sense of purpose and calling in place by the
time they reach college. However, when this does not take place, a much more confused picture
occurs for students entering college. Unfortunately, we have observed that a substantial portion
of students entering our institution have difficulties in discovering their life calling, experience
life calling confusion, and have little or no idea how to remedy the situation. The question then
arises—how can we remediate life calling illiteracy in college students?
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Remediating life calling illiteracy
The Center for Life Calling and Leadership believes that one important key to remediating life
calling illiteracy at the college level is a comprehensive and unified life calling developmental
process during the college experience. We have formulated a stage developmental model
specifically oriented toward the life calling discovery process during the various transitions in
college. The transitions are broken into the traditional four-year experience. We have identified
the overriding issue in each of these years and then designed our relational and programmatic
elements around these issues. As the model depicts, however, we realize that these do not
always fit neatly into the single-year experience. Some students are ready to address these issues
early, while others work on the issues well beyond the single year.
STAGE-APPROPRIATE LIFE CALLING DEVELOPMENTAL MODEL
Pre
1st Year
2nd Year
3rd Year
4th Year
Graduation
Post
Transition
Exploration
Connection
Interaction
Anticipation
Transition
Implementation
The Pre-Stage issue is entrance transition. Life calling support is focused on helping students
successfully traverse the dramatic change between the high school experience and college life.
This is achieved through an intentional orientation program for college entrance that begins
before arrival at college. Involvement in the recruiting stages to help students enter college with
realistic and better-directed expectations is crucial.
The 1st Year stage is exploration. With the evolution of the college experience into preprofessional training, less of an emphasis is given to exploration and more is given to
preparation. The fact that we have to redirect many of these students from one program to
another indicates that fast-track professional preparation may not be the best approach to a first
year experience. Rather, it might be better to allow students to explore their own strengths and
design and then explore the wider world of options. Too many times our students come into the
first year undifferentiated. The track they are put on has been predetermined by someone else.
Our first year exploration stage includes a strong course that combines an introduction to the
liberal arts, mentoring, and service learning to expand the students’ horizons. We also assign all
students who would prefer to explore possibilities rather than locking into a major to the Center
for Life Calling and Leadership for academic advising. The Center creates for these advisees an
exploration-enriched program beyond the first year course taken by all incoming students,
combining a course on the exploration of life calling with exposure to humanities core courses
and general education courses. Students are also encouraged to explore gateway courses that
lead into areas of study in which they might have a calling or interest. The Center uses life
coaching and mentoring to support this process.
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The 2nd Year stage is connection. Students in this stage need a strong connection with others to
carry them through what has been termed “the Sophomore Slump.” They also need connection
with a plan for how they are going to pursue their college experience. Finally, they need a strong
connection with academics—especially if they have not yet identified a major to pursue. Once
again, life coaching and mentoring are crucial.
The 3rd Year stage is interaction. Our observations reveal that this is the most productive year
for students to become involved with service and leadership, both outside of and within the
institution. It also becomes one of the most effective times for students to integrate learning
within the rest of their lives.
The 4th Year stage is anticipation. Students who had a broad societal focus in the previous year
now narrow that focus to personal implications. Their prime question is “what is going to
happen after I graduate?” This anticipation also includes a significant level of apprehension.
Graduation brings on exiting transition stage. Following this exit, graduates now begin to
implement what has been learned during the college experience in their Post-Stage life.
Our goal throughout this development has been that students would increase in self directedness.
We originally thought it would occur in a gradual increase as we guided students through the
four year experience as illustrated below.
Pre
1st Year
2nd Year
3rd Year
4th Year
Graduation
Post
Transition
Exploration
Connection
Interaction
Anticipation
Transition
Implementation
High
Low
Self-Directedness
One of the more eye-opening findings we have made is that this is not necessarily true. We
found self-directedness increasing until the end of the 3rd year and then suddenly, with the
anticipation and apprehension of life after college, there was a distinct regression from selfdirectedness and a greater demand for supportive intervention.
High
Low
Self-Directedness
The 4th year stage may be just as difficult as the 1st year stage. We also suspect that as we
continue to develop this model that we are going to see multiple regressions correlated to various
issues that occur throughout the college experience. Instead of gradually disengaging in our life
calling support at our Center, we may find it a case of multiple refocusing of emphases and
efforts.
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High
Low
Self-Directedness
Notice in the illustration above that we have suggested at least two other regressions of greater
magnitude: one within the 2nd Year Connection and another within the Post Implementation as
various career crises are encountered.
This Developmental Model has a direct impact on efforts carried out by centers that work
directly to guide students in discovering their life calling. The model shapes what we offer for
different stages. The following illustration relates the model to four key activities carried out by
our center: life coaching, academic advising, career development, and mentoring.
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STAGE-APPROPRIATE LIFE CALLING DEVELOPMENTAL MODEL
Pre
1st Year
2n d Year
3r d Year
4th Year
Graduation
Post
Transition
Exploration
Connection
Interaction
Anticipation
Transition
Implementation
High
Low
Self-Directedness
Pr epar ing
Obser ving
Hypothesizi ng Exper imenting
Evaluating
Formalizing
Validating
C losure
Advanced Levels
of Prev ious
Credentialing
Lifelong Learning
Methodology
Pers onal
Awarenes s
Diff erentiation
Relational
D ynamics
Comm unity
Service
Career Skills
Enhanc ement
Life Coaching Issues
Capabilities
Assessment
Liberal Arts/
Major Selec tion
Academic Skills
& Entrance
Experiential
Learning
Degree
C ompletion/
Life Readiness
Academic Advising Issues
Readiness
Assessment
Strengths
Analys is
Job
Sc oping
Internships
J ob Searc h/
Placement
Finalization
Continuous Improvement
Career Development Issues
Mento r
P
e
e
r
Mentee
Primary Mentoring Orientation Issues
Copyright © 2004 Bill Millard. Used by permission.
Life Coaching
In the life calling discovery process, our center employs life coaches to work with students as
they look for solutions to future questions. Life coaching is rooted in positive psychology and
differs significantly from clinical counseling in that it is primarily forward-focused and
proactive. Life coaching also differs from traditional career counseling in that it goes beyond
career issues and looks at life calling in a much larger context.
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Our life coaches work with students in all stages of the model. However, each coach also
maintains a specialty related to a specific stage within the model. That coach will also
coordinate the activities related to that stage of development.
Prior to even arriving at college, our life coaches work with prospective students during the Pre
Stage Transition to help them start the differentiation process to discover their own identity
rather than seeing themselves as extensions of others in their lives. This differentiation process
carries into the 1st Year stage as well.
During the exploration stage that occurs primarily during the first year in our model, life coaches
work both one-on-one and teach classes to increase personal awareness with the students. A life
calling model is introduced in which we use a strengths-based approach to identify the personal
assets each person has. Our 1st Year life coach specializes in strengths assessment and the
general education program of our institution. This person coordinates the 1st Year Exploration
program. This person also supervises all of the life coaches.
The focus expands and shifts during the connection stage of the second year to address relational
dynamics. A strong mentoring program is maintained that helps students to connect with others.
Students are also coached in the process of connecting with educational and career direction.
Our 2nd Year life coach specializes in strengths development, mentoring, group dynamics, and
student retention. This life coach coordinates the 2nd Year Connection program. This person
also coordinates the overall life coaching program.*
During the interaction stage of the third year, students have the greatest potential to be involved
in making a difference in their surrounding environment. The most significant life calling
discovery support our life coaches can give to students during this third year is assisting them
with involvement in community service—both on campus and in the surrounding community in
which we are located. It is also a time to provide leadership training and opportunities. Our 3rd
Year life coach specializes in experiential learning, leadership development, and internships.
This life coach coordinates our community service program for all students we work with, but
gives a special emphasis to third year students.
Students often seek a higher level of life coaching during the anticipation stage of the fourth
year. The major difference is that the coaching they seek is focused on career discovery and life
skills enhancement. They are apprehensive about what lies ahead and they need help and
reassurance. Our 4th Year life coach specializes in job search, job placement, and other career
skills. This life coach coordinates the career development programs for all students, with a
special emphasis on the needs of seniors anticipating graduation.
During the last month leading up to graduation, our life coaches help students bring closure to
the college experience. Once students leave our institution and enter the Post-Implementation
phase of their lives, periodic contact between our coaches and alumni help them put into practice
advanced levels of the process they have learned in their four-year experience at our institution.
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Academic Advising
The Center for Life Calling & Leadership provides academic advisement to all students who
have not yet declared a major or who are in the process of dropping one major and searching for
another. The stage developmental model helps us focus on academic issues related to the various
stages.
In the Pre-college stage as students apply and prepare for college, we help them assess their
capabilities and prepare for success in the higher educational experience.
During the 1st Year exploration stage in our model, students need a structured academic program
that creates an exploration program for them as they enter the university. This program follows
our belief that self-awareness is found more in the liberal arts than it is in technical training.
Students enroll in a first year course that combines an introduction to the liberal arts, mentoring,
and service learning to expand their horizons. Students also need a course on the exploration of
life calling. The remainder of the exploration courses is comprised of humanities core courses,
general education courses, and gateway courses that lead into areas of study in which the student
might have an interest.
During the 2nd Year connection stage, students need to begin connecting the discoveries made
during the exploration stage. Connections to major areas of study will often occur during this
stage. At this point, our Center transfers academic advising to advisors within the corresponding
academic department.
During the 3rd Year interaction stage, students are advised to enter into experiential learning
embedded in their academic program. Our Center works hand-in-hand with academic
departments during this stage to provide internships. This is also a good year for study abroad.
During the 4th Year anticipation stage, the main issue of academic advising is to ensure that
students will complete all requirements for degrees and graduation. It is a stage in which lifeskills readiness should be addressed. Capstone classes within a major can help address this
issue. Our Center provides a credit-bearing course that deals with life-skills readiness.
Graduation should be a transition time where students receive credentials that meaningfully
certify their completion of activities in the previous stages and guarantee their preparation for the
world of career or graduate studies to come.
Once students leave our institution and enter into the Post Implementation stage of their lives, we
have prepared them academically for lifelong learning, and we provide some level of
encouragement and support through periodic contact and availability to allow this to happen
during their alumni phase.
Career Development
Earlier we defined life calling as something larger than an occupation or career. However, career
is an important element of how we carry out our life calling. This being the case, career
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development is an important aspect of a life calling discovery process. The Center for Life
Calling & Leadership maintains a serious commitment in providing students with meaningful
career development throughout their college experience.
As students apply and prepare for college, we assess what level they are ready for in career
development. We also use this as a time to inform incoming students of the need to think about
career issues throughout their college experience. We encourage them to do this rather than
waiting until the last semester of their senior to try desperately (split infinitive) to rectify their
needs in this area.
During the 1st Year exploration stage, the focus is on identifying strengths and understanding the
connection of strengths to life relationships—including careers.
During the 2nd Year connection stage, we encourage and facilitate what we call “Job Scoping.”
This is more than just job shadowing. Informational interviewing and other activities are
employed to get students to explore all aspects of the work world and to begin to understand the
intricacies and ramifications within that world. A connection between the work world and major
selection is emphasized.
The 3rd Year interaction stage is the ideal time for experiential learning. With career
development, this is best accomplished with internships. As stated earlier, our Center works
hand-in-hand with academic departments during this stage to provide internships. At this time,
we encourage students to begin the networking process.
During the 4th Year anticipation stage, career development focuses on hands-on training and
preparation for the actual job search process. Job placement becomes a shared effort between
our institution and the students. We work with academic departments to support preparation for
graduate school entrance.
In the Career Development track in our model, we see graduation as a finalization of the
activities completed in the previous stages. Once students leave our institution and enter into the
Post Implementation stage, we have prepared them to pursue continuous improvement
throughout their careers. We stand ready to assist them in later career changes.
Mentoring
We have found the two most important roles in the life calling discovery process are life coaches
and mentors. The Center partners with Student Development to integrate mentoring into all
stages of our model.
The mentoring program aids first and second year students as they get acclimated to college life.
It provides them with an opportunity to connect with a continuing student in a one-on-one or a
group setting. Depending on the needs of the individual, the mentors’ role will vary. They serve
in many different capacities such as a spiritual guide, coach, counselor, teacher, or sponsor. The
role of the mentor is to build a relationship that will allow the mentee to grow as a result of their
encounter. The program creates an environment that allows for intentional connections between
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peers. It is more than just a way in which students can connect with one another. It challenges
students to become more accountable to each other for their actions, as they begin to explore life
calling.
We have found that the predominant roles sought by students in mentoring changes with the
various stages. This is indicated by the orientation of the arrows in the fourth track of the model,
pointing in the direction of the role in which the students in that stage primarily assume. For
instance, if students wish to be a mentee in relationship to a mentor, the arrow points up. An
arrow pointing down indicates students wish to be a mentor. Horizontal arrows indicate peer
mentor relationships.
At the beginning when students first arrive, the role is inquisitiveness. They want to know what
mentoring is and why they need mentoring.
During the 1st Year exploration stage, students are often bewildered and want an older student to
mentor them and help them understand the college experience, especially how to get started at
college-level academics and at living away from home and on campus.
During the 2nd Year connection stage, students often want to mentor each other on a peer level as
they seek connection. We have observed that when this occurs, the rate of dropout is reduced.
We have noticed that the 3rd Year interaction stage is the most productive year for students to
become involved with service and leadership. In our Mentoring track of the model, this is
expressed by a desire to become mentors for younger students—especially first year students
needing and wanting mentors.
We have described an eye-opening finding concerning the 4th Year anticipation stage in
relationship to self-directedness. There is a distinct drop-off in self-directedness and a greater
demand for supportive intervention as anxiety about the future begins to loom. This is reflected
in mentoring by the desire of seniors to have mentors that come from the alumni population
within the careers they are pursuing, helping them to know what lies ahead and how to prepare
for it.
The arrows at the graduation stage depict that the primary focus from all angles is expected to be
on the graduate.
Once students leave our institution and enter into the Post-Implementation phase of their lives,
graduates will continue mentoring relationships in all directions—as a mentor, mentee, and peer.
Conclusion
IWU is a comprehensive university with a traditional residential campus of 2,500 students and a
series of satellite campuses that provide programs for nearly 9,000 working adults. We have
focused the early implementation of this staged model for discovering a life calling on the
traditional-aged college experience. The results we have seen have been very positive. During a
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four-year period when the university experienced a 27 percent enrollment increase, we have seen
a 117 percent increase in students choosing to start their college experience exploring under the
advisement of the Center. We have also experienced a 373 percent increase in sophomores
continuing to work through exploration and decision-making. This has a definite impact on
retention since many of these students would choose to drop out if they were not part of an
intentional program with advisors, life coaches, mentors, and champions. As our first cohort of
students has reached graduation, we have seen an increase in their ability to identify their life
calling and understand its implications to life beyond college.
Though we have started out with traditional-aged students in our residential campus, our
observations reveal that it is not restricted to this experience or this age group. We plan to begin
integration of our model into our adult program in 2005. In fact, the stages guiding the discovery
of a life calling are applicable to every point in a person’s life where the issue of life discovery is
involved. For this reason, the model should not be seen as a single linear event or process, but
rather it should be seen as a process that cycles over and over again throughout a person’s life.
With that in mind, the most important accomplishment in the college experience in relationship
to this model may be equipping students with tools to properly address each stage and helping
them to learn how these tools can continue to be used throughout their lifetimes. This leads us
back to the original discussion. Rather than viewing college as simply a time to professionally
prepare for a specific career, students should be equipped to explore their life purpose and
develop a sense of life calling. Across our country there is a call for leadership in all arenas of
society that is revitalized by a values-based commitment to civic service and responsibility that
arises out of a true sense of purpose. If colleges and universities are going to be the incubators
from which such leaders arise, then we need to make it the highest priority to create an
environment where students will capture a personal sense of life calling and purpose and be
inspired to become leaders of change in their world.
Notes:
McCormick, A.C. and Horn, L.J. “A Descriptive Summary of 1992-1993 Bachelor’s Degree
Recipients: 1 Year Later,” Statistical Analysis Report, August 1996. Washington D.C.
National Center for Education Statistics U.S. Department of Education, (1996).
McCormick, A.C., Nuñez. A.M., Shah, V. and Choy, S.P. “Life After College: A Descriptive
Summary of 1992-93 Bachelor’s Degree Recipients in 1997,” Statistical Analysis
Report, July 1999. Washington, D.C. National Center for Education Statistics U.S.
Department of Education, 1999.
NLS-72. “The National Longitudinal Study of the High School Class of 1972 (NLS-72), a U.S.
Department of Education survey of high school seniors in 1972 with follow-ups in 1976
and 1986,” Washington, D.C. National Center for Education Statistics U.S. Department
of Education, 1986.
www.collegeboard.com/prod_downloads/press/cost03/cb_trends_pricing_2003.pdf
Lyon, G.R. “Why No Child Left Behind Means Just That.” Lilly Endowment Inc. Education
Symposium, The Westin Hotel, Indianapolis, 7 November, 2003.
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