Center

Center for Purpose and Vocation

The Center for Purpose and Vocation welcomes those seeking answers to life’s big questions and who are open to exploring their own passions and contributions at Assumption University.

Contact Information

Esteban Loustaunau, Ph.D., Director

508-767-7589

eloustaunau@assumption.edu

Location

Emmanuel d'Alzon Library - 310

Building Lives that Matter

The Center for Purpose and Vocation (CPV) connects students to the many campus resources and opportunities available for the growth of their passion and calling. CPV programs and events support students in building strong character and leading a more meaningful and purposeful life. At the CPV, we support the exploration of vocation in its many forms —active, contemplative, creative, religious, social, communal, personal, professional— through courses, events, and initiatives sponsored in partnership with various academic departments, programs, and offices such as the Career Development and Internship Center, the Community Service Learning Program, the D’Amour Center for Teaching Excellence, Campus Ministry, and the Offices of Student Affairs and Residential Life.

At Assumption, learning to build lives that matter is one of our guiding principles. We recognize that seeking our purpose and vocation lasts a lifetime, but it begins here and now with the need to respond to the world around us. This is why we encourage students to formulate their life goals, develop their interests, and reflect on their values so that they can make contributions to the world beyond themselves.

We carry out this mission by providing resources for individual and group reflection through a series of probing questions:

Who am I? What is the purpose of my life? How do I live a meaningful life? How can I make a difference in the world?

We welcome those seeking answers to life’s big questions and who are open to exploring their own callings, passions, and contributions at Assumption.

David Crowley, Ph.D. Professor of Biology Director of ASPIRE Associate Director of the Center for Purpose and Vocation

Esteban Loustaunau, Ph.D. Professor of Spanish Director of the SOPHIA Program Director of the Center for Purpose and Vocation

Programs and Services for Students

The Sophomore Initiative at Assumption (SOPHIA) is a yearlong academic learning experience for sophomores aimed at discerning vocation in its many forms. Students apply for admission in the spring semester of their first year. Twenty-four students are selected to be SOPHIA Collegians in their second year. These students take a common course in the fall; meet in small groups with a dedicated faculty mentor; and are invited to participate in a two-week capstone learning and reflective experience in Rome, Italy. Please contact Prof. Esteban Loustaunau for more information.

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ASPIRE (Alumni-Student Partnerships in Reflective Engagement) engages interested alumni and motivated junior and senior students with questions of vocation as they relate to identity, career, community, commitments, and life beyond college. ASPIRE provides opportunities for students and alumni to have meaningful conversations and build mentoring communities through shared meals, workshops, panel discussions, and community service opportunities.

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The CPV is committed to creating and promoting academic opportunities for all Assumption students to engage with the big questions that lead to purposeful and meaningful lives. Thanks to the generous support from the Network for Vocation in Undergraduate Education (NetVUE), members from the faculty have developed intellectually stimulating courses that connect purpose and vocational exploration to specific majors and minors. Below is the list of courses across several academic disciplines. Please contact Prof. Esteban Loustaunau or consult the University Catalog to learn when these courses are offered.
The Center for Purpose and Vocation is committed to collaborating with faculty and staff partners to assist in the exploration of questions related to meaning and purpose.
- Alumni Office
- Campus Ministry
  - Retreat opportunities are available for students with a desire to grow spiritually. Peer ministers work closely with student resident assistants to provide prayer opportunities and to serve as additional pastoral support for students looking for a peer with whom to talk and/or ask questions about faith, life as a college student, or the challenges that come with living on campus in a residential community.
- Career Development and Internship Center
  - CDIC advisors can assist students from the first year through graduation in choosing the academic major, summer internships, and career options that are right for them and ensuring that they have the professional development and networking tools to make those aspirations a reality
- Community Service Learning
  - The Community Service Learning Program fuses service and academic inquiry, simultaneously creating memorable educational experiences for students and valuable service to the greater Worcester community.
- D'Amour Center for Teaching Excellence
- Student Success
- Student Affairs

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Center for Purpose and Vocation

The Center for Purpose and Vocation welcomes those seeking answers to life’s big questions and who are open to exploring their own passions and contributions at Assumption University.

Building Lives that Matter

Programs and Services for Students

Light the way.

A Catholic university located in the heart of New England in Worcester, Massachusetts, Assumption University strives to form graduates known for their critical intelligence, thoughtful citizenship, and compassionate service.