Please note: This is NOT the most current catalog.
Education
Put to Work
The college is proud of its record of “education put to
work.” Breadth in liberal arts study combined with depth
in an academic major remains the most adaptable and enduring
education for students anticipating productive lives in a rapidly
changing world.
A large percentage of St. Olaf graduates continue
their education in America’s best graduate and professional schools. According
to the National Research Council’s Survey of Earned Doctorates,
St. Olaf ranks sixth among bachelor’s degree colleges in
the number of graduates who went on to earn doctoral degrees
during the period 1991-2000. St. Olaf was first among baccalaureate
colleges in mathematics, fourth in chemistry and sixth in life
sciences as an undergraduate supplier of Ph.D.s during the same
period. (It ranks 11th among all higher education institutions
as a source of Ph.D.s in mathematics.)
Many St. Olaf graduates enter university programs
in medicine, law, the fine arts, business and management and government
and public policy, as well as research programs in technologies
not dreamed of a decade ago. Other graduates embrace the life and
mission of the Church, teaching and careers in international
service, outreach and travel.
The college counsels patience, search and reflection
in the preparation for future work. Some of the most successful
academic programs and majors preparatory for careers are not decided
until the end of the sophomore year, and college majors that seem
unrelated to specific careers often prove extremely viable. It
is noteworthy that many of the country’s top business leaders were philosophy
or history majors. Today it is not uncommon to see chemistry
majors enter law school and English majors (with requisite health
science electives) admitted to medical school.
A number of factors contribute to the success of
St. Olaf graduates, including an education that recognizes that
as knowledge becomes increasingly less compartmentalized it will
be those who have learned how to learn who will have the advantage.
Through their regular coursework, innovative options
like the Foreign Languages Across the Curriculum program (see Index),
and the hands-on experience provided by independent study and research
options, internships, and programs like the Finstad Office for
Entrepreneurial Studies, students explore the interconnectedness
of the world today — and prepare for life in the ever-changing
world of
tomorrow.
Guiding students in their explorations are the informed
and caring men and women of the St. Olaf faculty and staff, who
provide continuing support to students in a regular and resourceful
program of search and guidance. A number of pre-professional studies
programs also help them shape their studies to fit the requirements
of America’s top professional and graduate schools.
SPECIAL PROGRAMS
The Center for Experiential Learning
The Center for Experiential Learning (CEL) was established
in 2000 to fulfill the vision of providing every interested St.
Olaf student with experiential learning opportunities that relate
to and complement the St. Olaf liberal arts curriculum. Building
on the educational strategy that students need to “live
their learning” by creating bridges between classroom work
and the world by “the Hill,” CEL programs focus on
internships and service learning, career development and entrepreneurial
studies. Programs are implements through the CEL’s Offices
for Career Connections, Internships, Servant Leadership and Entrepreneurial
Studies with the intent of providing a coordinated, comprehensive,
classroom-based experiential learning program that is academically
sound, inclusive of all academic disciplines and connected with
all sectors of the domestic and global communities. For in-depth
information about these programs, visit http://www.stolaf.edu/services/cel/
Career Connections — The mission of
the Office for Career Connections is to assist students in
developing, implementing and evaluating career/life plans and
to educate faculty and staff regarding issues of career and
life planning. The career connections process emphasizes career
exploration, experiential learning and reflection through a
wide range of assessments, resources, services and programs
throughout the campus community.
Internships — The Office for Internships
provides services and resources that assist students in exploring
and engaging in internahips and externships (job shadowing).
These experiential learning opportunities allow students to
apply their classroom theories and knowledge in a real world
setting, develop transferable skills, build a network of employer
contacts, assess strengths and evaluate career options as they
prepare for life beyond the campus. The office works to create
meaningful learning experiences by facilitating interactions
between students, faculty, alumni and organizations.
Entrepreneurial Studies — The Finstad
Office for Entrepreneurial Studies, established in 1992 with
a major gift from Paul and Anne Finstad and other St. Olaf
alumni, promotes entrepreneurial thinking and action among
students, faculty and alumni of the college. Through a variety
of courses and activities in entrepreneurship, the Finstad
Office helps students prepare for roles as business owners
and managers, venture capitalists or consultants to smaller
businesses, providing an unparalleled learning experience in
entrepreneurial practice.
Servant Leadership — The mission of the Office for Servant
Leadership is to build upon the rich heritage of St. Olaf College
in developing servant leaders — students challenged to
be responsible citizens of the world, concerned for the common
good and bringing their gifts to the world. Through experiential
learning, the Office for Servant Leadership continues to build
a community of future servant leaders, supporting students in
their desire to first serve and through that service to become
agents for change. The office accordingly creates opportunities
for students and faculty to connect academic experiences with
practical, “hand-on” engagement in service by facilitating
service-learning initiatives, campus and community engagement,
civic dialogues and international study-service programs.
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