CAREER EXPLORATION
Extracurricular Activities
"Realize there are other aspects of the college experience -- besides the
classroom -- that are important too."
-WILLIAM COBB / English Professor & Author
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BEYOND THE CLASSROOM
High school and college students are encouraged to extend their education beyond the
classroom and expand their high school and college experience by participating in
relevant extracurricular activities and by taking advantage of the available resources o9n
their campus.
Students broaden their horizons, enhance their well-roundedness, and increase their
credibility as viable career candidates by participating in professional organizations and
clubs, volunteer community service projects, internships, part time jobs, and other
events and activities.
Your extracurricular involvement and outside activities enhance your overall experience
and help you build critical skills necessary for future career endeavors. Maybe you have
a part time job, play in a band, are on a sports team, or do volunteer work. Perhaps
you're involved in a theatre production, a science fair, or student government.
TYPES OF ACTIVITIES
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Academic Organizations
Professional Organizations
Cultural Groups
Special Interest Groups (Political Action, Social Issues)
Social Groups (Fraternities, Sororities)
Religious Groups
Student Government
Entertainment Activities (Concert, Lecture & Film Planning)
Media Activities (Newspaper, Yearbook, Radio Station, TV Station)
Athletics
Arts (Music, Theatre, Dance)
Community Service (Volunteer, Humanitarian)
EXPERIENCE MATTERS
Colleges and employers pay attention to your life both inside and outside the classroom.
Yes, your academics probably come first, but your activities reveal a great deal about
you, such as…
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How you've utilized, applied and developed your talents and skills
How you've made a meaningful contribution to a group or project
How you've interacted with others on a team
Whether you can assume responsibility
Whether you can manage your time and priorities
Whether you can maintain a long-term commitment
What level of dedication, ambition, and initiative you have
The importance of extracurricular activities on college campuses is well established. The
primary goals of extracurricular activities focus on the individual student level, the
institutional level, and the broader community level. These activities exist to complement
the university's academic curriculum and to augment the student's educational
experience. Almost any type of student involvement in college positively affects student
learning and development. Extracurricular activities provide a setting to become involved
and to interact with other students, thus leading to increased learning and enhanced
development. Specifically, a student's peer group is the most important source of
influence on a student's academic and personal development. By identifying with a peer
group, that group may influence a student's affective and cognitive development as well
as his or her behavior.
As the development of the well-rounded individual is a principal goal of extracurricular
activities on college and university campuses, the numerous experiences these activities
afford positively impact students' emotional, intellectual, social, and inter-personal
development. By working together with other individuals, students learn to negotiate,
communicate, manage conflict, and lead others. Taking part in these out-of-theclassroom activities helps students to understand the importance of critical thinking
skills, time management, and academic and intellectual competence. Involvement in
activities helps students mature socially by providing a setting for student interaction,
relationship formation, and discussion. Working outside of the classroom with diverse
groups of individuals allows for students to gain more self-confidence, autonomy, and
appreciation for others' differences and similarities.
Students also develop skills specific to their career path and imperative for future job
success. Students have opportunities to improve their leadership and interpersonal skills
while also increasing their self-confidence. Extracurricular involvement allows students
to link academic knowledge with practical experience, thereby leading to a better
understanding of their own abilities, talents, and career goals. Future employers seek
individuals with these increased skill levels, making these involved students more viable
in the job market. Specifically, participation in extracurricular activities and leadership
roles in these activities are positively linked to attainment of one's first job and to
managerial potential.
Lots of school, community, and religious organizations give you chances to explore your
interests and talents. If you haven't felt drawn into something yet, there's no shortage of
opportunities for you to explore. It's pretty easy to find out about activities available at
your high school or college. Once you start exploring, sometimes the challenge is
figuring out how much to do.
TIPS FOR YOUR INVOLVEMENT
In choosing the appropriate extracurricular activities, use good judgment to determine if
the project or your particular role match your interests and goals.
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Does the activity help you explore your interests and identify your career goals?
Does the activity give you an opportunity to apply your classroom learning?
Does the activity give you an opportunity to utilize your skills and talents?
Does the activity give you an opportunity to develop good interpersonal and
relationship building skills?
Does the activity give you an opportunity to develop good organizational and
planning skills?
Does the activity give you an opportunity to develop good leadership skills?
Does the activity give you an opportunity to help others and contribute to society?
Does the activity give you an opportunity to express your values?
RELEVANCE
Choose activities that are pertinent to your career goals and demonstrate your relevant
skills.
An accounting major may choose to volunteer as a tax preparer for the VITA (Volunteer
Income Tax Assistance) Program, in which he or she would have the opportunity to
utilize accounting-related skills in the process of helping low income families prepare
their tax returns.
A student interested in utilizing and developing his or her leadership skills may choose to
get involved with Student Government, Residence Life, or run for an official position
(President, Vice President, Committee Chair) of a student organization.
An English, communications or journalism major may choose to be a writer, reporter or
editor for the campus newspaper.
A finance or accounting major may choose to be the treasurer for a student club.
A student seeking a career in sales or public relations may choose to get involved with
fund-raising activities or activities in which he or she would lead tour groups
(Ambassadors, Orientation Leaders), give public speeches, or plan campus events.
An education major may choose to be a tutor, peer advisor, or resident assistant, or
volunteer to be a Big Sister or Big Brother.
An engineering or construction sciences major may choose to volunteer for the local
Habitat for Humanity project, in which he or she would be directly involved in the
construction of a house for a low income family.
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MICHAEL LEBEAU 2009