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Career Development as a Retention Tool: Early Intervention for Incoming Deciding Freshmen
Saint Louis UniversityWendy LaBenne, Christine Keller and
Kim Reitter
Background• About Saint Louis University (SLU)• How the program started• Purpose of program• Career Decision Making Assessment
Jesuit Mission• SLU• Vocational Discernment
Retention Research
• 50% of those who withdraw, do so in their first year
• Commitment to educational and career goals is a strong factor in degree completion
Retention ResearchRetention = Satisfaction
Retention ResearchRetention = Satisfaction
viable plan that is consistent withabilities, interests and values
Learning Objectives• Students will be connected to career
services• Students will be educated on career
development prior to arriving in the fall• Students will be assessed early to
identify their individual needs
Program Details• Prior to SLU 101
– Identifying the deciding students–Scheduling appointments–SLU 101 Peer Advisor Training
Program Details• Career Counseling Appointment
–Assessment • (Career information, self-knowledge, career
choice anxiety and general decision making skills)
–Length • 30 minutes
Program Details• Career Counseling Appointment (cont.)
–Build Rapport –Refer to the assessment–Folder–Ending appointment
• Follow-up
Case Study: Joe• Cuseo suggests
–Front-load highly effective advisors– Integrate advising and career counseling–Create experiential learning to promote
early awareness of the realities of work
Results• Potential Effects on Retention• Popularity of the Program
–Student evaluation; Increase in students• Success of the Program
–Early use of Career Services –Confidence level in deciding on a major
Short-Term Results2007 Orientation Component Overall Rating
Student Panel 3.41Meet with Career Counselor 3.32Study Abroad Session 3.32Late Night in Rez Hall 3.32
2009 Components Overall RatingPeer Group Meeting 3.52
Late Night in Rez Hall 3.50
Trivia Night / Advising Overview 3.46 / 3.46
Meet with Career Counselor 3.45
Short-Term Results
Long-Term Results• 49% met with us again as freshmen (‘08)
• 39% met with us individually
• 14% enrolled in Career Decision-Making course taught by our counselors
Expansion of Program• In 2007: College of Arts & Sciences• In 2008: University College, A&S• In 2009: Health Sciences, Engineering,
Student Educational Services, University College, A&S
At Your Institution…• A program should include:
–Early, front-end career planning–Anticipatory, rather than reactive
interventions–Delivery that is proactive
“…Research suggests that student commitment to educational and career goals is perhaps the strongest factor associated with persistence to degree completion.” Cuseo, 2005.
ReferencesCuseo, J. (2005). “Decided,” undecided,” and “in transition”: Implications for academic
advisement, career counseling, and student retention. In R. S. Feldman (Ed.), Improving the First Year of College, Research and Practice. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Harris-Bowlsbey, J. & Niles, S. (2005). Career development interventions in the 21st century, 2nd edition. Pearson Education.
