The overarching goal of the QEP (REACH) is to increase students’ awareness and knowledge of careers, and to develop and enhance students' career readiness skills and competencies. REACH is focused on integrating career themes and concepts into the academic programs. To accomplish this, the career-centered academic focus will intersect with career services to carry out the following goal: increase awareness and knowledge on careers related to chosen major so as to become sufficiently engaged in learning and develop/enhance career readiness skills. To ensure adequate fulfillment of this goal, the following elements are being implemented: (1) integration of technology, (2) integrated academic and career advising, (3) experiential and service learning, (4) faculty development/training, (5) curriculum development (i.e. integration of career concepts and activities into the first-year orientation program), and (6) mentoring. All of these elements are embedded in the student experience, thus working toward the goal. This program is specially designed and conducted to both enable and equip the students with the necessary knowledge and skills to successfully allow them to gain the necessary college and life survival skills to complete their chosen program and to enter a profession and the workforce.
