Bethel announces The Studio for Vocation and Calling to empower all students to launch lives of purpose

After graduating with a degree in finance, Annika Zachor ’24 began her career at UnitedHealth Group with support from mentors, leadership experiences, and hands-on learning at Bethel. “The wisdom and support I received from my Bethel mentors were significant factors in my current success,” she says.

For journalism major Talia McWright ’24, a summer internship at the St. Paul Pioneer Press led to a full-time reporting role before graduation. “I’m working at my dream job. How cool is that?” she says. “I’m beyond grateful for it.”

These stories reflect what’s long been true at Bethel: In a Christ-guided community, students receive meaningful preparation that helps them launch their careers and pursue their callings with confidence. Bethel is building on that foundation in a bold new way. 

In fall 2025, Bethel will launch The Studio for Vocation and Calling, a new initiative rooted in the university’s long-standing strengths in mentorship, academic rigor, and real-world experience. The Studio is designed to ensure that every student—regardless of major or background—has a clear, supported path from college to career. “Bethel is not a place where you’ll wait until senior year to think about your future,” says President Ross Allen. “From your first visit to campus to your first job offer, and beyond, Bethel is intentionally preparing you to discover your gifts, deepen your faith, and step into your calling with confidence.”

A space—and a strategy

Vice President for Strategy, Innovation, and Partnerships Jess Daniels describes The Studio as both a physical space and a conceptual framework—an evolving and collaborative initiative that stretches across Bethel’s programs and offices. The goal, she says, is to bring together faculty, staff, students, and external partners to build something dynamic and lasting.

The Studio space will be located in the Clausen Center (CC) in the former home of the Admissions Guest Center, which is relocating to the Lundquist Community Life Center. Just off the Barnes Academic Center (BAC) and steps from Royal Grounds, the new space will offer both visibility and accessibility.

Bethel’s Career Development and Calling office will be housed within The Studio, which will also include space for employer interviews, networking events, academic showcases, vocational integration, spiritual direction, mentoring, leadership programs, and meeting areas for career development. “The Studio space will put our services right on Main Street next to Royal Grounds café and make us easily accessible,” says Stan Thompson, director of vocation, pathways, and partnerships.

Beyond the space, the work accomplished through The Studio will bring greater structure and visibility to the preparation Bethel has always offered. “It’s a lab where learning happens by doing,” Thompson says. “It brings together faculty, alumni, employers, and students in meaningful ways that launch lives of purpose.”

Built in preparation

The Studio reflects a shift in how vocational exploration and career development is delivered at Bethel—moving from an optional service to an integrated part of the academic experience. Traditionally, at Bethel and other universities, students have had to seek out support like coaching or resume reviews on their own. Now, that’s beginning to change.

Through The Studio, career preparation is being embedded more intentionally into courses and programs across departments. In general education and within participating majors, faculty are integrating career-connected assignments like resume development, mock interviews, vocational reflection, and job shadowing. The goal is to ensure all students engage in meaningful preparation as part of their academic journey—not in addition to it. “We are shifting from an opt-in model—where we know that the students who need it most are least likely to access it—to a built-in model where it becomes part of the degree experience,” Daniels says.

For many students, this preparation will follow a clear progression: starting in the classroom and continuing through personalized coaching and hands-on experiences like internships, field trips, student teaching, and clinicals. Daniels says this intentional sequence forms a college-to-career pathway that bridges students from classroom learning to real-world impact—and helps them launch with clarity and purpose.

By embedding career preparation into academics and student life, The Studio is helping reduce barriers for students who may not know how—or when—to seek out support. This shift is designed to ensure that more students—not just the most proactive—receive the guidance, relationships, and real-world exposure they need to thrive.

As these changes have taken root, Career Development appointments rose 36% during the 2024-25 academic year, and classroom presentations increased by 16%. In addition to the preparation built into courses, Thompson sees greater awareness and engagement leading more students to seek out coaching and services on their own. “When students get to know about Career Development through those experiences, many of them seek out our services again,” he says.

Expanding Bethel’s network

Bethel already stands out as a university where students build deep relationships—with peers, professors, mentors, and a growing network of alumni and employers. “At Bethel, students create deep and powerful relationships with friends, faculty, coaches, mentors, and future employers,” Daniels says. “They are creating their lifelong Royal network.” With the launch of The Studio, Bethel is bolstering that Royal network and expanding its influence as a vital tool to help students launch and grow in their careers.

Students find opportunities to get involved in hands-on experiences from their first day on campus as they learn alongside professors dedicated to their success. Throughout their time at Bethel, many receive student mentorship and support from alumni through programs like BethelBiz and ComMentor. In the 2024-25 academic year, more than 320 alumni supported Bethel students through vocation and career initiatives. “We want prospective students and families to come here and to see this visual depiction of a Royal Network—and say, ‘Oh, when I graduate, I will be a part of that,’” Daniels says. “Royals help Royals. Royals support Royals. Royals hire Royals.”

For Zachor, mentorship through The 25—a cohort-based leadership program—and BethelBiz were a “pivotal aspect of starting my career.” As a finance major, Zachor joined both programs while also participating in the Royals Investment Fund, a student-managed investment fund that provides real-world experience in financial markets. “The wisdom and support I received from my Bethel mentors were significant factors in my current success,” she says. That combination of academic foundation, leadership development, and real-world preparation helped her land a role at UnitedHealth Group as a treasury analyst shortly after graduation.

Through The Studio, Bethel is expanding mentorship opportunities to students in more majors. The Studio also strengthens the network of alumni and partners by providing a central place to connect. With The Studio as a hub, faculty can coordinate job shadowing and site visits, alumni can offer informational interviews and mentorship, and employers can collaborate on building a stronger, values-driven workforce.

Beyond professors and alumni, The Studio for Vocation and Calling is broadening the Royal network to include other key partners: students’ families and more regional employers. This year, more than 60 employers came to campus to recruit students. One example is Bethel Advance, an annual event hosted by the Department of Education that brings hiring managers from local school districts to campus for networking and interviews with students. Moving forward, Daniels is building on these partnerships to bring even more employers directly to campus. “We want to collaboratively work with employers to better understand their specific company needs and how we can support their goals,” Daniels says.

Building a life centered on Jesus

Though The Studio for Vocation and Calling will officially launch this fall, the work it represents has deep roots at Bethel. For years, faculty and campus leaders like Thompson and Daniels have laid the groundwork—integrating vocational exploration into the curriculum, unifying efforts across departments, cultivating employer partnerships, and shaping programs that prepare students for what comes next.

At its heart, The Studio reflects Bethel’s enduring promise: to walk alongside students as they discern their callings, pursue meaningful work, and build lives centered on Jesus. It connects what happens in the classroom with what happens in life—equipping students not only to find a job, but to follow a path of purpose, service, and spiritual impact through faith and career integration. It also serves employers, who gain access to thoughtful, well-prepared graduates ready to lead with character and conviction. 

For Allen, The Studio for Vocation and Calling is both a continuation of Bethel’s legacy and a key part of his goals to prepare Bethel for the future. “The Studio for Vocation and Calling is an extraordinary expression of Bethel’s mission to prepare students to lead lives of purpose and impact,” Allen says. “I’m excited because it equips our students to explore not just what they want to do, but who they’re called to be.”

Become who you’re meant to be at Bethel.

At Bethel, you won’t just earn a degree—you’ll gain clarity, confidence, and a community that walks with you into your future. With undergraduate programs across the arts, sciences, healthcare, education, business, and humanities, you’ll be prepared to launch a life of purpose and impact. Visit campus to see how Bethel can help you take your next step.

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