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Augustana College Welcomes Class of 2019 With Changes

It’s a big day at Augustana College. On Thursday, August 20th, 2015, hundreds of students moved into their new homes. As they do, there are some changes t...

It's a big day at Augustana College.

On Thursday, August 20th, 2015, hundreds of students moved into their new homes. As they do, there are some changes taking place around the Rock Island, Illinois campus.

Crews are wrapping up $7-million in construction projects. The biggest is a $5-million remodel of a wing at Westerlin Residence Center, the college's largest dorm. The renovation includes new floors, windows, closets, and air conditioning. The remaining two wings will be completed over the next few years, with the total cost of the project equaling $13-million.

The remaining $2-million in projects include replacing roofs and steam lines as well as tuck-pointing buildings.

The other change taking place has been years in the making. As part of Augustana College's strategic plan, the CORE Career Development Department was created. CORE stands for: Careers, Opportunities, Research, and Exploration. Compared to the former Augustana Career Center two years ago, this department is triple in size.

"We have a whole team of people that are designed to help you get ready for life after Augie," said Dr. Michael Edmondson, Associate Vice President of Career Development. "So, if you want to go into the Peace Corps, AmeriCorps, graduate school, medical school, law school, or get a job, CORE can enhance that level of preparation."

As far as majors go, Dr. Edmondson said there's really only one that matters - happiness.

"Major in what makes you happy," he explained. "Whatever your subject is, it doesn't matter. You can still get a nice job elsewhere if you plan your undergraduate experience accordingly."

"Research is pretty clear," he added. "Employers want you to have soft skills. Can you look someone in the eye? Can you have a conversation with a stranger? Can you arrive on time? Can you dress appropriately? That's what employers are looking for. They'll teach you the technical skills, so that's very important for students and parents to know."

It's the side of college that takes place outside of the classroom and it's a change that's becoming more of the norm.

"There's three components of an undergraduate experience - all the  classes you take, your co-curricular leadership opportunities on campus, and your experimental education like internships," Dr. Edmondson said. "How you put those three pieces of the puzzle makes all the difference."

"For 150 years, Augustana has always prepared students, but the world is changing and it's changed very drastically in the last 10 years and Augustana wanted to stay ahead of the curve and CORE is one of the elements."

To learn more about CORE, click here.

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