Torch, Spring 2004

10 TORCH / Spring 2004 To encounter, to enter into conflict, to begin to fight The career services office assists students in preparation for the career search in many more ways than would constitute the usual understanding of its role. There are, assuredly, the assumed networking opportunities with the large accounting firms, manufacturing organizations, schools, churches, and the like. However, we believe that to truly engage our culture, we are required to enter into the ongoing conflict for the eternal souls of men by also creating “high speed off-ramps” for our students to engage three of the major culture areas impacting our country today – politics and public service, music and the arts, and media and advertising. To that end, we are heavily involved in networking with those who would assist us in placing our students in these realms. We look for state and federal political and administrative public service positions; we network with alumni who are involved in music and the arts; and we seek opportunities among parents and friends of the University to maximize our students’ involvement in media and advertising. To articulate, interlock, mesh Our understanding of the Scriptures, from Genesis to Revelation, would suggest that, among others, there is a work theme throughout. The biblical theme of work demonstrates that there is balance between two things — glorifying the Lord in our daily tasks (having our lives read as a living gospel before men) and serving vocationally (He gave “some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers” in Eph. 4:11). As our mission statement articulates, we need “to assist our students to example Christ anywhere in the global workplace.” Opportunities abound on each continent of our ever-shrinking globe. We have developed strategies to connect with those opportunities over the next four years by developing relationships in China, western Europe, South America, and South Africa. We have identified major U.S. cities in which we can best optimize our resources to connect or mesh our students into the fabric of opportunity for culture impact. To touch and cross swords or blades Finally, it is vital to understand that our students, in touching and crossing blades with culture through their God-given ability as engineers, missionaries, dentists, youth leaders, accountants, pastors, etc., all contribute to building an effective body of Christ — Engagement: A Career Services Imperative