Dear Parents,
I have two teenage daughters. Often times I have to remind them how difficult it is to be a parent because we play the roles of coach and cheerleader both at the same time. Let me explain.
Coaches teach, encourage, develop, and discipline. Sometimes coaches try to draw the best out of the players they’re coaching so that those players find new strengths they never knew they had. Do you know the feeling?
Cheerleaders support the players with lively chants, acrobatics and dance moves. Cheerleaders are those who get most excited when the players do something great and feel great compassion when the players don’t play their best game. You understand, don’t you?
As a parent of a college student, the role as cheerleader probably seems more customary for you. You continue to cheer for your student as he or she shoots for ultimate success – graduation! However, do not discount your role as your child’s most important “life” coach when it comes to making decisions about a career and pointing your student in the direction of resources. To help you be effective in this role, Purdue Calumet has services in place for your student.
Depending on what your student’s need is Purdue Calumet’s Counseling Center or Career Center has the resources to assist. The Counseling Center, located in Room 5 of the Gyte building, offers full-service career counseling, designed to assist your student when it comes to determining his or her interests and personality as each chooses a career in the wider world of work. Purdue Calumet’s licensed counselors help students in choosing a major, defining career goals and developing an understanding of career opportunities.
Purdue Calumet’s Career Center, located in Room 349 of the Student Union & Library building, is designed to help students research career opportunities, hone their job-search skills, and apply for full and part-time jobs on and off campus. Career Services has an array of resources to assist students in developing job placement. Additional tools used to assist students include: practice interviewing, researching organizations and meeting representatives from those organizations.
As a coach, please direct your student to these very valuable services at Purdue Calumet! I’m convinced that, if we, as parents, do a good job coaching, then we will have plenty to cheer about for the rest of our lives!
