Brian Bar thought he knew exactly the type of career field he would get into after college. But after completing an unsatisfactory senior-year internship in his chosen field, he decided to change course.
But to what?
Bar confessed his uncertainty to one of his faculty advisors at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay in Green Bay, Wis., where he was completing a bachelor of science in psychology.
“She said to me, ‘aren’t you involved in, like, 20 different things here? You seem to get more enrichment out of working with students than anything else,’” he recalled. “This got me thinking more about the general area of student affairs.”
Bar went on to earn a master of science in educational leadership and policy analysis with a concentration in higher education administration from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Wis..
“Initially it was focused on service learning,” he said of his master’s program capstone. “I researched the area of service learning and how it can help students develop their passion projects that eventually lead them into fulfilling career fields.”
It was not until he started working for AmeriCorps VISTA that that he really found his niche in “experiential learning,” which he explained is an umbrella term for several components within student affairs.
“Experiential learning encompasses service learning, career services, and internships,” he explained. “And it is one of the most effective ways to engage students as well as give them real-world experiences to apply their learning to.”
So in a very real way, Bar, who is the new assistant director of career development at the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University, became the student affairs professional he needed when he was in college.
This fall, Bar is running the Professional Development Planning Program (PDP), one of the signature career development programs that is exclusively tailored to first-semester graduate students.
PDP is an optional non-credit program that was created five years ago by the Schar School’s career development office to help new graduate students develop a plan that aligns with their career ambitions.
According to Duane Bradshaw, director of career development at the Schar School, the number of students fresh out of undergraduate programs has grown exponentially over the past decade.
“The needs of graduate students have changed, with a larger number needing more specific support as they prepare for their careers,” said Bradshaw.
The PDP program builds a foundation for new students to be successful in their graduate studies. “[The program addresses] how they’re contemplating doing their career search, what they need to take into account, where their skills sit and what they still need to develop, and how courses they take helps them develop those skills.”
The Schar School career development office provides all enrolled students and alumni individualized career support. In additional to signature Schar School programs such as PDP and the annual career and internship fair, professional career advisors work with students and alumni to explore and develop career goals, identify employment and internship opportunities, and offer resume and cover letter reviews.
What advice does Bar want to share with students? “It never hurts to have a second pair of eyes on your resume. Yes, even if you think you have the perfect one.”