vocation matters

The Fluidity of Vocational Discernment

tranquil stream cascading over rocky surface — *^{Photo by Makayla Asuncion on Pexels.com}*

A version of this post was delivered at Wisconsin Lutheran College’s winter commencement this past December, where Paul marked his retirement and celebrated more than 25 years working in higher education.

Among the foundational tenets of vocational discernment, here are two: our vocations are dynamic, and our vocations are ambiguous. For many, the inverse of these principles can also be true, shaping our impulses to think of discernment as being fixed or final. If we think about vocation in these terms, we start making assumptions that are misguided and possibly damaging, such as, discernment happens only once. If we think about discernment as a singular event, we put ourselves under a lot of pressure to get our calling right, perfectly right.

But if we think more accurately about the dynamic nature of vocational discernment, then we ought to keep in mind its fluid quality. If we picture discernment as a substance, then we see that it is amorphous and pliable, depending on the shape of the life that contains it.

Reclaiming Vocations: Finding Purpose Amidst Loss

This post opens by reflecting on a mock funeral at Montclair State University that protested cuts to humanities and social sciences, highlighting deep grief in higher education. This shared sense of loss prompts a need for vocational recommitment. The podcast episode featuring Victor Strecher illustrates how purpose can guide healing, emphasizing the importance of meaningful work amidst adversity.

gravestone with a concrete cross — ^{Photo by KoolShooters on Pexels.com}

A photo from a recent news article in The Guardian stopped me in my tracks. It featured a black tombstone memorializing 15 departments within the humanities and social sciences facing cuts at Montclair State University, where students organized a mock funeral in protest of this proposal. At the top of the tombstone, a large RIP dramatically introduced the list of the departments, starting with anthropology and ending with English.

This story is an all too common one across higher education right now, leaving students, faculty, and staff in a state of grief over profound vocational dislocations as their callings are being devalued by college administrators and policymakers. This student-organized funeral resonated with me upon my return from a recent retreat for educators, who gathered to reclaim our vocational visions and voices. One undercurrent in our conversations was a deep sadness for all that has been lost in higher education in recent years: departments slashed, dedicated colleagues terminated, harmful narratives about our work increasing.

Called to Leisure

A student’s disbelief over a statistic regarding sleep deprivation reflects a broader concern about time poverty among students, which hinders their ability to engage in “productive leisure.” This engagement is crucial for personal growth and vocational exploration, urging educators to emphasize meaningful co-curricular activities and critique the cultural obsession with busy-ness.

A student sat down in my office for what I thought was going to be a quick check-in on a paper idea, but her face darkened as her eyes passed over my monitor. “What?” she exclaimed, “Who are those other 42%? Who? I don’t know them!” I’d been skimming a news article reporting that 58% of Americans reported not getting enough sleep. She could not believe that the number was so low, for she and her classmates were so squeezed by school, employment, and, in many cases, athletics that she could scarcely imagine a world where anyone had enough time to get it all done, never mind sleeping enough. I couldn’t blame her. I’d had the same basic reaction to that headline.

Building Connections in the Classroom: The Role of Friendship in Vocation

Entering a classroom can be daunting for both new professors and students. Many students may feel isolated, lacking connections with peers. Fostering friendships through group projects and ungraded exercises can enhance belonging and satisfaction. Creating an inclusive environment benefits students academically, emotionally, and vocationally, enhancing their overall college experience.

Walking into a classroom on the first day of a semester can be intimidating, especially for new professors. A room full of strangers looks at you, expecting so much, including a masterful demonstration of your disciplinary expertise. If I as a faculty member can can admit that this experience has been daunting, especially in the early years of my teaching career, imagine what a room full of strangers feels like for some students.

For years, I assumed (wrongly) that the students in my classes knew each other. Certainly, I thought, they had certainly spent time together at orientation, sporting events, and the student union. That perspective ended quickly one afternoon when a student shared something that surprised me.

“I don’t know anybody in this class.”

Reflecting before I Assign Reflection: On Vocational Exploration in Business Education

The author reflects on the integration of vocational exploration within business education, highlighting the mismatch between students’ career readiness and the search for purpose. Despite feelings of imposter syndrome, she is driven to empower students to connect professional success with personal values, advocating for a holistic understanding of vocation in business contexts.

I’ve got a confession: When I applied for a NetVUE grant to embed vocational exploration in my organizational communication program, I did it partly because I knew I had what we in business call a “unique selling point.” Ever since being introduced to NetVUE, I’ve been reading its blog posts and listening to its podcast episodes, so I knew that my application would be considered alongside proposals for further integrating calling into English, philosophy, and theology programs. I was confident that NetVUE would be interested in bringing the language of calling into classrooms where it’s rarely, if ever, heard.

But that strategic thinking was not my only motivation. My study of organizational communication majors shows that students struggle with career transitions because they can’t connect professional preparation with individual purpose. My research on mid-career women reveals how a clash of personal and professional values lead to career disruptions—research with such a wide scope that it’s the foundation of my forthcoming book.

I know that underemphasizing vocation has serious consequences across the lifespan of work. But here’s what I didn’t know when I submitted my proposal: a serious case of imposter syndrome would follow.

You Can’t Hack Your Higher Purpose: Restoring Faith in Vocation in the Age of AI

an artificial intelligence illustration on the wall

Increasingly, college students are outsourcing their schoolwork to artificial intelligence. This development is troubling for college educators everywhere, but especially for those of us working at church-related liberal arts institutions. Many of us believe that higher order thinking is not merely a marker of our humanity but the mark of our Maker. We hold that reasoning, like loving, is something God made us to do. We reason to learn the truths of Creation and to see ourselves as beings created in the divine image. When we ponder mysteries and solve problems, we act in accordance with our higher purpose. Conversely, when we too readily substitute artificial intelligence for our own, we compromise our callings. Generative AI can aggregate information, but it can tell us nothing about our souls. As philosopher Lily Abadal points out, only you can search your heart. Indeed, as the Catholic Church’s recent doctrinal note reiterates, what distinguishes human intelligence from AI is “the person’s openness to the ultimate questions of life.”

Coddiwompling: Meandering with Purpose

The post discusses the concept of “coddiwompling,” representing the unpredictable and meandering journey of vocation and career. It emphasizes embracing unexpected detours, learning from failures, and recognizing that personal growth often arises from these challenges. The author encourages students to navigate their paths purposefully, adapting to life’s uncertainties.

As I concluded my last post, I left readers with a word that I think best describes my thinking about vocation, calling, and career—coddiwompling. Coddiwompling is an English slang term loosely defined as meandering in a purposeful manner toward a vague destination. In this post, the final one in my series, I will use this term to explore the circuitous vocational journey that many of us find ourselves on and its implications for our students.

Being and Becoming in Community: Hearing Vocation through the Indigo Girls

The author reflects on how the Indigo Girls’ music influenced their understanding of identity and community, especially during adolescence in a restrictive environment. Their songs foster kindness, activism, and self-reflection, serving as a catalyst for personal growth and social awareness. The music is portrayed as a bridge between the secular and sacred in life.

a couple lying down while playing ukulele — *Photo of two young people enjoying music together by Pavel Danilyuk on Pexels.com*

The practice of discerning and living into one’s callings is often deeply influenced not only by overt barriers but also by implicit messages that shape what seems possible in our lives. As a child of the 1980s, I yearned for representation that countered the oppressive gender roles in the world around me in the small northern Michigan town where I grew up. Most viscerally, I noticed my own discomfort with the pervasive narrative that I would have a husband and children someday, regardless of what my paid work would be. In my adolescence, queer life was invisible; but when I listened to music, I experienced a sense of being-in-community and was invited into self-reflection about who I was called to become.

Conversations on Craft and Career: Guiding Passionate Students

This post discusses the challenges faced by professors and students in non-career-focused majors, who often encounter pressure to prioritize economic returns. It highlights the importance of supporting these students in pursuing their passions while managing potential regrets. The author emphasizes the enduring value of craft and its impact on cultural legacy.

photo of woman wearing white long sleeves and black pants while sitting on floor looking pensive — *^{Photo by Nataliya Vaitkevich on Pexels.com}*

It’s true: there are still some professors and students who choose fields of study and complete majors that don’t solely open career pathways. It’s true: faculty and students in these majors must withstand the relentless and usually unsophisticated pressures from parents and peers to resist academic preparations aimed primarily at a short-term return on economic investment. It’s true: faculty and students in these majors feel marginalized and devalued for their calling, which is viewed as irrelevant and archaic, or worse, irresponsible and regressive.

For mentors and advisors in these areas, the challenge remains: how does one begin an effective conversation with students who are interested in educational opportunities outside the narrowing focus on career preparation?

The Power of Sticky Notes in Teaching Vocation

Teaching can be challenging, especially regarding discussions about vocation. The use of sticky notes emerges as an effective tool for fostering engagement and connection among students. They encourage manageable tasks, promote interaction, and help individuals share their values and fears, facilitating deeper conversations about purpose and community in a supportive environment.

Teaching is hard. Teaching vocation may be even harder.

It can be tricky to bring a new audience of students, educators, or really anyone into conversations about vocation. It requires true vulnerability—both among participants and from their facilitator—to get folks to think and talk about their past, present, and future; their values and desires; and especially their doubts and fears. We need tools that can help us speak and listen to each other, lowering the stakes of group activities while at the same time increasing engagement in them.

What if I told you I knew of such a tool? In fact, a wonderous tool—one that is inexpensive, widely available and almost infinitely adaptable?

person writing on pink sticky notes — *Photo by Bruno Bueno on Pexels.com*

May I present to you: the humble sticky note.

	BTS on Called to Leisure
	Ann on The Case for the Modern Polyma…
	Ram Keller on Coddiwompling: Meandering with…
	fancy9050034447 on The Myth of the Linear Career
	fancy9050034447 on Finding Your One Thing: Discer…

Category: Uncategorized

The Fluidity of Vocational Discernment

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Called to Leisure

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Building Connections in the Classroom: The Role of Friendship in Vocation

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Reflecting before I Assign Reflection: On Vocational Exploration in Business Education

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You Can’t Hack Your Higher Purpose: Restoring Faith in Vocation in the Age of AI

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Coddiwompling: Meandering with Purpose

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Being and Becoming in Community: Hearing Vocation through the Indigo Girls

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Conversations on Craft and Career: Guiding Passionate Students

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The Power of Sticky Notes in Teaching Vocation

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