Submitted by Berry College
ROME — In a continuing effort to help students discover their callings in life, Berry College has joined more than 100 other founding members in the Network for Vocation in Undergraduate Education (NetVUE), a nationwide, campus-supported program meant to expand and extend the intellectual and theological exploration of vocation on college campuses. NetVUE is a new initiative of the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC), a national association of more than 600 independent, liberal arts colleges and universities.
Through national and regional conferences, the development and exchange of resources, and online networking, NetVUE will help institutions deepen vocational exploration by their students. The goals of the network are to share knowledge, best practices and reflection on experiences among campuses. The founding members also hope to facilitate the incorporation of additional independent colleges and universities into this enterprise.
Dr. Thomas D. Kennedy, dean of the Evans School for Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, is excited by the learning opportunities that will be created through Berry’s participation in a national network that brings together the expertise and experience of faculty and students from all across the United States.
“The purpose of the network is to encourage reflection upon the nature and purpose of work in a life well-lived,” Dr. Kennedy explained. “We expect Berry’s involvement with NetVUE to further enhance our premier work experience and religion-in-life programs by providing resources and opportunities for a deeper and richer reflection on vocation by students, faculty and staff.”
NetVUE is generously supported by Lilly Endowment Inc., which has funded other similar programs over the years.
“We have discovered that structured programs that encourage and guide students in the theological exploration of vocation do indeed help them draw on the wisdom of their religious traditions as they make decisions about their futures and figure out how to lead lives that really matter,” said Craig Dykstra, Lilly Endowment’s senior vice president for religion. “We have been approached by hundreds of colleges and universities seeking to enhance their educational programs by incorporating vocational reflection more intentionally into their curricular and co-curricular activities. We are delighted that CIC is committed to sustaining and extending this important conversation and helping colleges across the country to advance their educational missions in this way.”
More information about NetVUE is available online at www.cic.edu/NetVUE.
