Students engage in discussion with a career advisor.

Center for Engaged Liberal Arts

Career Exploration and Development

Students at a career development workshop explore the many pathways leading from an academic major to their professional future.

Photo credit: Matthew Lester

Putting the liberal arts to work. Pursuing your meaning and purpose.

The mission of Career Exploration and Development (CED) is to help Obies chart a meaningful path toward their professional future. Our holistic mentoring approach encourages each student to discern and develop the skills, values and direction best aligned with their evolving career goals. We offer one-on-one advising as well as cohort programming to inspire connections and empower students to excel in their chosen fields.

CED provides reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities. Accommodations may be requested when scheduling an appointment or by sending an email to career@oberlin.edu.

Schedule An Appointment

Internship Spotlight

Introducing the internship spotlight video series!

Watch our Internship Spotlight Video featuring an Oberlin student interning with the Sunday Story team at NPR this summer!

Gain insights into their experiences, hear about the skills they've honed, and get inspired by their journey. Don’t miss this opportunity to see how fellow Obies are paving the way in their careers! Watch now and get motivated for your own career aspirations!

Schedule an appointment with a career advisor to start your internship journey today.

The Sunday Story at NPR

Read more internship success stories

Location

Center for Engaged Liberal Arts, A-Level

Get Directions

Contact

440-775-8140

440-775-8089

career@oberlin.edu

Social Media

It’s your story and your future. Get started.

Learn how career exploration and development experiences can help you shape your Oberlin education.

Explore Experience Launch

Career Communities

From the first day on campus, students are invited to join a career community, a themed pathway preparing them for impactful internships and research experiences. Through all four years, our communities offer camaraderie and mentorship from a supportive network of Obies across the world.

Learn more about Oberlin’s career communities

Find Your Community

Explore Oberlin’s six career communities and learn how to get connected with alumni, jobs and internships, and other professional opportunities.

Internship Experiences

Follow Oberlin students as they explore career paths through exciting and engaged internships.

Explore more stories

Zach Smith ’26

Chemistry major Zach Smith spent the summer interning at CoreWater Technologies in Oberlin.

Read about Zach's research

Zachary Smith working in a lab

Elsa Faulders ’26

Neuroscience major Elsa Faulders interned at the Penn Medicine Biobank through Summer Experience Funding.

Read about Elsa's experience

Elsa Faulders

Cole Tashjian ’25

Cole Tashjian got down to business to achieve his goals as an economics major at his summer internship at Invesco.

Read about Cole's success

Group of students hold certificates smiling

Aahil Singh ’26

Aahil Singh, a double major in mathematics and economics, got to work on a research paper with an Oberlin professors who inspired him.

Read about Aahil's research

Aahil Singh and Professor Davidson

From the Classroom to the World

The engaged liberal arts at Oberlin opens the classroom to the studios, laboratories, and workplaces defining the future.

What Can I Do with This Major? Sophomore Programs Graduate & Professional School
Aerial view of campus.

Resources

Networking

Talking to people and learning from their experiences is an integral part of career exploration. Think of networking as career education and a form of relationship building.

Diversity and Inclusion

Our advising is responsive to each student’s unique professional goals. Our funding, programming, and identity-based events promote equal access and systemic change in workplace opportunity.

How-to Guides

Study the nuts and bolts of effective communication with our how-to guides on resumes, interviews, personal statements and learning portfolios.

Upcoming Events

View all events

Next Steps

An Oberlin education puts the liberal arts to work in achieving a life of meaning and purpose.

Discussion group around a large conference table.

Career Exploration and Development at Oberlin hosts regular student workshops on how to best integrate academic, co-curricular, and professional interests.

Photo credit: Matthew Lester