Exploring major callings

Many students enter college with a clear idea of what they want to major in, and some even what job they would like to pursue. For those who do not have a solid plan, Hamline held its annual Major Exploration Fair on October 17.

First-years were expected to attend this event, with many FYSem professors requiring attendance, and most others heavily encouraging it. Students had the ability to explore a variety of majors, each with their own areas set up in buildings around campus. Certain campus programs also had areas set up to help students learn more information on other resources and programs available at Hamline, such as the University Honors program.

“The physics professors were well prepared,” said First-year Nick Grivna. When asked if he found the fair to be impactful, Grivna responded, “No, I had already decided my major in fourth grade.”

Other students seemed to find the event more beneficial, however.

“I had a good, rough idea on what the [theater] major entailed before I attended the fair, but I left with a much more refined idea of what to expect,” said First-year Daniel Eaton, considering a theatre major. Eaton went on to provide more specifics of his experience, “There weren’t any professors at the theatre arts area, but there was a theatre student running it. They were very informative on what the major requirements are.”

Many of the majors that were represented at the fair had a mix of faculty and student representatives. While the professors were able to provide heavy details on the specific courses and routes of pursuing majors, students were able to talk about their personal experiences with it.

“I think the student representatives are incredibly important to the event. It’s really important for students to get actual honest feedback about classes and experiences, and to get feedback on whether or not a major’s right for them,” said junior Bashir Imady, who acted as a student representative for the Global Studies major. Imady went on to tell stories of students whom he had spoken to, sharing some genuine advice that first-years need.

One gripe that some students had with the event was the difficulty that came with multiple buildings housing different majors. A total of five buildings were used, with specific fields often landing in the same building. This made it difficult for some students to explore all the options available.

“Having majors in all different buildings seems to make it harder to explore options that you might not normally consider. You kind of have to pick and choose,” said junior Amber Alme. “My freshman year it was in Anderson and there were just various tables for each of the majors. It was really nice because I kind of knew I wanted to do something within social sciences, but it was great having other options so easily accessible there to explore.”

Despite some of the backlash at certain aspects of the event, many students seemed to come away with a better understanding of what majors they may be interested in and how to pursue it. Imady summed up his opinions on the event as a whole.

“I think it was a fun, educational event where students could ask valuable questions and hear interesting answers from both faculty and students with regards to what majors they might pursue. One might even say it was a pivotal experience in their college career.”