SOAR (Student orientation for first year students and transfer students) and Auggie Days (back to school sessions for all new students) provides presentations and showcases for Auggies to learn about a variety of resources on campus, including the career center.

Aug Sem (or Augsburg Seminar) are required courses that all first year students complete. This introduction to Augsburg and college coursework provides a foundation for students to build on in future semesters, including introductory career and vocation components.

Augsburg Exploration Day is an opportunity for all Augsburg undergraduates to deepen their connections with the university, build self-understanding and skills to thrive during and after college, and plan for their futures. The Strommen Center offers career treks and sessions for students to explore careers and possibilities.

Navigate is a one-stop platform for appointments, progress reports, and connecting with faculty and staff. Navigate Journeys allow students to monitor and keep track of tasks they need to complete, including required ones such as attending academic advising appointments and registering for class, and more optional tasks such as writing a resume. The Journeys allow students to plan for the future and for what they need to do during their time at Augsburg.

Designed to help students explore majors and career paths, understand how coursework connects to future opportunities, and build confidence as they work towards their career goals, Career Exploration Day is an annual event required for first and second year students and strongly encouraged for upper class undergraduate students.

The event is planned and hosted by the Strommen Center and involves staff, faculty, employers, alumni, and community partners from across the Twin Cities.

All undergraduates are required to complete the Augsburg Experience, an experimental education experience that challenges students to apply knowledge in settings beyond the classroom. Through the Augsburg Experience, students gain hands-on practice with focused reflection, developing critical skills, meaningful relationships, and a deeper understanding of their values and potential.

Every Auggie completes at least one experience, choosing the path that aligns with their goals. Experiences include:

• internships, practicums, field work, and part-time employment
• Study abroad and cultural immersion experiences
• teaching and clinical practice
• community and civic engagement
• rearch opportunities

At the end of their time at Augsburg, all undergraduate students are asked to complete the First Destination Survey. This nation-wide survey asks them about what their first steps will be after graduation, whether it be employment, graduate school, military service, or they are undecided. This data helps the Strommen Center determine where soon-to-be alumni are headed and the impact of the career preparation they receive at Augsburg.

During TRIO’s 4-week Summer Bridge program, students get a head start on their Augsburg education and participate in a learning session with the Strommen Center during that time.

In collaboration with the TRIO office and the Batalden Assistant Dean for Student Success and Belonging, First Gen Week is a campus celebration tied to the nationwide recognition of the impact of TRIO SSS programs across the United States. During First Gen week, first generation students and first-gen supporters are invited to attend a variety of events including networking and alumni panels.

In conjunction with Human Resources’ training for staff and faculty who supervise student workers, the Strommen Center had developed learning goals and strategies for supervisors to ensure that students working on campus are identifying, reflecting, and growing skills they can use throughout their time on campus and in future opportunities.

The Graduate School Fair is hosted by the Strommen Center and URGO (the Undergraduate Research and Graduate Opportunities) office. The fair invites a number of local and out of state graduate schools to showcase their programs while supporting students to explore possibilities for future study.

Run through the Sabo Center, the Bonner Leaders Program empowers students through civic and community-based work. The Strommen Center supports the Bonner Program through leadership and skill development as well as future plans for financial support around unpaid internships.

Through presentations to a variety of student organizations such as the Augsburg Business Association, Augsburg Pre-Med Association, peer mentorship programs, and multicultural organizations, the Strommen Center helps students connect their co-curricular activities to transferable skills and values.

Each fall, the Strommen Center hosts on-campus career and internships fairs. In the spring, the Strommen Center collaborates with all Minnesota Private Colleges to host the Minnesota Private Colleges job and internship fair. Students have the opportunity in both semesters to meet employers, network, and practice communicating their skills and experiences.

Prior to each fair, the career center hosts a career fair prep week to prepare students for what to expect, to freshen up their resume, and access professional wear and elevator pitch building support.

This 2-credit course prepares students for jobs, internships, research opportunities, and other career-related experiences. At the end of the course, students have an understanding of what career exploration looks like, ideas of how to gain experience, and how to communicate that experience.

In conjunction with Augsburg Exploration Day, Career Exploration Day, and other events throughout the year, the Strommen Center hosts treks to various employer sites. Past sites have included Ovative Group, Best Buy, St. Paul Academy, and Metropolitan Council.

Travelers EDGE is the Strommen Center’s flagship pipeline program. Travelers EDGE (Empowering Dreams for Graduation and Employment) strives to increase the pipeline of students that enter and graduate college and go on to launch their careers in the insurance and financial services industry.

The Faculty Fellowship helps faculty identify the role they play in fusing career development in the Augsburg experience through curriculum development integration and, in doing so, provide equitable career development for all students. This fellowship provides skills and resources for faculty to able to show students how curricula aligns with workplace skills and ensures that all students have access to the tools and resources necessary for post-graduation success.

Additionally, each Strommen career coach is assigned to one of the five schools at Augsburg in order to support the faculty and staff within them with resources and tools for students in career exploration.

The Career Prep Program is a semester-long program build for seniors who want to enter the job search with real clarity and confidence. It is open to all majors and provides a stipend for participants. Participants gain:

• a clear sense of their professional identity
• sharper communication skills
• a stronger approach to job applications
• practical workplace professionalism knowledge
• a reflective practice they can carry into their career