FranU Receives $12,000 NetVue Grant for Vocational Discernment Cohort for Student Development

Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University received a $12,000 grant from NetVUE to create a vocational discernment cohort for student development training program called The Empowering Futures Project to equip participants with the tools necessary to guide students to discover their calling in life.

The project will be comprised of faculty, staff and alumni for a six-week training program where subsequent continuing education lessons will be developed. A curriculum will be created to enhance each lesson and guide the Cohort through their vocational discernment practice. Training will include education on vocational discernment principles and development of coaching skills to guide students in discovering their vocation, taking into consideration their values, interests, skills and aspirations to create a healthy career pathway. Resources will be cultivated to include relevant research and literature on vocational discernment. At the completion of the training program, each Coach will receive a resource binder with tools to support coaching exercises, such as worksheets, assessment tools and tracking documents to record goals and progress.

“Students select a career path with the aim of becoming experts in a particular field. By aligning their passions with a deeper sense of purpose, they will find fulfillment in both their work and service to others. This student development program is designed to guide students in discovering their God-given purpose, while teaching them to contribute to the common good,” stated Keyo Johnson, director of vocational discernment and career development at FranU.

Currently, vocational discernment support has been coupled with the work of Career Services to challenge students to look beyond just having a career and to discover their calling in life, but the volume of students seeking vocational discernment guidance has exceeded Career Services staff's capacity.

The Cohort will receive training on a holistic approach to vocational discernment that integrates practical skills enhancement, storytelling and self-reflective exercises to deepen students’ understanding of themselves and their vocational aspirations.

NetVUE Grants Director Carter Aikin said, “We are delighted to support this worthy project at FranU, helping students more effectively discern their vocations, embrace their callings and deepen their understanding of purpose in this world.”

FranU was awarded a generous Program Development grant from NetVUE in 2013 to develop a program focused on vocational discernment for undergraduate students. As a result of that original grant, vocational learning outcomes were introduced into courses across programs. Every student encounters vocation in a required introduction to theology course. A session on vocation was introduced in new student orientation sessions, which provided each student an opportunity to think about their education in the context of a calling. Academic advisors were given tools to assist their advisees in thinking about vocation, especially when those students were considering changing programs. Thanks to the original NetVUE grant FranU has developed a campus-wide ability to discuss vocation.

“We are excited to have trained nine Vocational Discernment Coaches who are ready to support and guide students in discovering their purpose. These coaches are located across campus, offering their expertise and availability to help students connect to their meaningful calling. With a deep understanding of vocational discernment, they will provide personalized guidance, fostering growth and clarity as students explore their passions, values, and talents. Our coaches are committed to empowering students to make informed, purposeful decisions that align with their unique gifts and contribute to the greater good,” said Johnson.

Students from underserved and underrepresented backgrounds specifically lack vocational support. This population needs extra mentoring that will ultimately contribute to academic progress. Twenty-nine percent of FranU students self-identify as U.S. students of color and 28% are Pell eligible. Per the 2023-24 FAFSA, 43% had annual family income levels of $30,000 or less. Twenty percent had family income levels less than $10,000 found by a FranU 2023-24 Income Rewards Report. Twenty-eight percent are first generation college students. Twenty percent are parents, 54% of whom are single.

These non-traditional students are often juggling the duty of providing for their families while they pursue their education. FranU is also a 100% commuter campus. For these reasons, students aren’t fully taking advantage of the support services available to them because they don’t stay on campus after class.

Expanding the vocational discernment coaching pool will allow FranU to begin offering virtual coaching sessions and remote participation in vocational discernment activities. This expansion will not only enhance our campus-based initiatives but also ensure that online students have convenient access to these services, fostering greater engagement.

The University is also exploring the possibility of partnerships with local organizations who employ FranU students and alumni to host vocational activities at their locations to extend the reach beyond campus.

The inaugural vocational discernment coaches ceremony to recognize the first cohort to complete the program will be held on Thursday, March 13, from 5:00-6:00 p.m. in St. Francis Hall, 5414 Brittany Drive.