As a second-year student here at Naz, I am very familiar with the presence of the Center for Life’s Work. I walk past this department nearly every day on my way to and from classes. However, it was not until very recently that I became aware of just how many services the CFLW offers when I decided to schedule an appointment with my Career Coach, Emily Marchese.

I had just decided to drop my early childhood/childhood education major, so now that psychology was my only major, I wanted to begin looking into graduate programs and careers in that field, as well as figure out how to secure a summer internship. I figured it was probably a good time to meet with my Career Coach.

I’ll admit I was pretty nervous going into that meeting; It felt like I had an endless list of things to do, and no idea how to do any of them (confession time: I didn’t even know how to begin writing my resume)! I unloaded my questions on Emily, who seemed more than glad to help me with all of the tasks I wanted to get done.

Emily coached me through all of my inquiries, giving me:

  • Multiple ideas to look into for internships (and some that she would help look into for me!)
  • Ways to utilize my SPARK grant
  • How to construct my resume using a template of the CFLW website, focusing on what to include (and what not to include) and offering to take a look at it once I’d complete a draft

We had a thorough discussion regarding my future here at Naz and beyond, examining the various options I have in terms of graduation date, graduate school, and what to do after college. Even though this is only my second year at Naz, it was comforting to just get the ball rolling. I have a lot of important decisions ahead of me!

Overall, Emily was incredibly kind, patient, and personable. She was so much fun to work with, and I cannot wait until I get to undoubtedly meet with her again. More than anything, she was helpful. I had nothing but questions going into my meeting, and although I know I’ve still got a lot of planning to do, I feel like I actually have a couple avenues to pursue.

One of the reasons I absolutely love Nazareth College is the connections I have here, both with students and staff. It’s refreshing to be somewhere where I’m not just a Student ID– I’m a person, with a face and a story and passion. The Center for Life’s Work is just one of the many ways that Naz reflects that perspective. I came to Naz not just for the beauty of the campus, but the love and support I have found on it. I couldn’t be happier to be a Golden Flyer, knowing that, even after I leave Naz with my diploma, I’ll still be welcomed back as part of the family.