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For Parents

Worried about saying the right thing when it comes to encouraging your student on his or her career path? Take a look here and see what a Hope student found to be the most helpful advice from his/her parents. We’re pretty confident that you’re already on the right track!

“My parents always stressed the importance of being active, going for everything, and always being on top of things early.” --Marie Mann

Sarah Mignin

Throughout the college years, parents continue to impact the life of their son/daughter. While providing emotional, spiritual, academic, and financial support during this period of transition, parents can also offer career-related support. Decisions about academic majors, graduate school, and preparations for the job search process are just a few of the career-related challenges students will face while at Hope College.

Career Services exists to help your college student deal successfully with these challenges.

How You Can Help Your Hope Student

As a Listener, you can

  • Provide non-judgmental listening and honest feedback
  • Initiate conversations on career plans, listen, respond, and ask questions
  • Help your clarify ideas, priorities, and concerns
  • See the situation from son's/daughter's perspective
  • Encourage your son/daughter to be true to self, values, interests, and talents
  • Give feedback on specific abilities/gifts you see in your son/ daughter to help develop a solid sense of self
  • Help to develop independent decision-making skills

As a Network Resource, you can

  • Help your son/daughter develop contacts for information, advice, and assistance in career planning and job search issues
  • Refer your son/daughter to colleagues, friends, neighbors, parishioners, family, and community members with experience related to his or her interests
  • Offer encouragement to approach people and build networking skills
  • Suggest your son/daughter make connections with faculty; the first year in college is the time to develop the habit of getting to know instructors.
    • answer questions about course materials and academic progress
    • provide letters of recommendation for internships, scholarships, and graduate school applications
  • Suggest an internship or part-time job to your son/daughter. This will provide valuable on-the-job experience. Part-time jobs are available both on and off campus through the Human Resource Office.

As an Advocate, you can

People To Know
Dale Austin Director, Career Services, 100 E. 8th Street, Ext. 7950
Sara DeVries Assistant Director, Career Services, 100 E. 8th Street, Ext. 7950
Trudi VanderPloeg Career Counselor, Career Services, 100 E. 8th Street, Ext. 7950
Maura Reynolds Director of Advising, Registrar's Office, DeWitt Center, Ext. 7760
John Lunn Chairperson, Department of Economics, Accounting and Management, Van Zoeren Hall, Ext. 7580
Richard Mezeske Chairperson, Education Department, Van Zoeren Hall, Ext. 7740
Cher Schairer Director of Certification, Education Department, Van Zoeren Hall, Ext. 7740
David Ryden Pre-Law Advisor, Political Science Department, 205 Lubbers Hall, Ext. 7546
Amy Otis Director of International Education, International Education, Ext. 7605
William Mungall Chairperson, Health Profession Committee, Science Center, Room 3126A, Ext. 7118
Susan Dunn Chairperson, Nursing Department, Ext. 7424
Kristen Johnson Pre-Seminary Advisor, Crossroads Project, VanZoeren - Room 166, Ext. 7320