Wabash College: Career Services

What is a Gap Year?

A “gap year” is a rather loosely defined term, generally meaning an opportunity for students to gain professional or personal experience, accomplish goals, and further explore their interests in the year or two following college graduation. A Gap Year can be individually defined, or structured/programmatic. Anything from a program like Teach For America or Peace Corps, a short-term internship to backpacking across Asia could fall under this category.

Who should investigate a gap year-type experience?

Students who are unsure about what to do after graduation, and want to explore options
Students who want to dedicate a year or two to service or personal development, before launching into a career
Students who want to pursue a project of interest that does not fit the typical mold of graduate school or employment

What specific kinds of gap years experiences are there?

**Volunteer-Type Experiences**

Americorp is a 1-year commitment to do volunteer work within the U.S. in a wide variety of sites. Many non-profits have a relationship with AmeriCorps.	A recent article by the Huffington Post lists nearly two dozen of different faith-based service opportunities for recent graduates to commit a year or more to community service.	A Peace Corps Volunteer dedicates two years to help countless individuals overseas.

City Year Fellows participate in an 1- year mentoring program in America's schools to help children graduate.	W.W.O.O.F. volunteers stay on farms all over the world for free food and accomodation in exchange for their labor.	A international database with thousands of Gap-Year opportunities.

**Outdoors/Recreational Experiences**

Graduate students address specific, urgent conservation challenges. Projects may include mitigating wildland fire risks, eradicating invasive plants while protecting native species, restoring desert lands scarred by off-road vehicles, or providing environmental education in community classrooms.	Resource for opportunities in adventure, outdoor education, wilderness therapy, sustainable living, camps and ranches, and resorts.

**Travel Experiences**

An abroad database full of hundreds of work, study and travel abroad resources	You may also want to invest in an international travel discount card

**Teaching Experiences** (PowerPoint)

Teach for two years in an underserved, underperforming U.S. school. Four application cycles.	Work for two years teaching underprivileged middle schoolers as an Americorps Volunteer.	Combines an intensive schedule of academic classes, held during the summer at Notre Dame, with two years of applied learning teaching in classrooms in under-resourced Catholic schools.

Academy for Urban School Leadership model is to train teachers in a rigorous one year residency program and then place them in AUSL-managed turnaround schools to effect whole school transformation.	Japan Exchange and Teaching Program Participants are placed with local government organisations throughout Japan or can choose to teach in every imaginable locality, including large cities, small and medium-sized towns, and rural farming and fishing villages.	A comprehensive resource for overseas teaching opportunities and research into the programs

Teach English in China. Spanning one academic year, AYC is designed to enrich career development and personal growth. Immerse yourself in the heart of Chinese society.	TNTP (Teach New Teachers Program) has 14 different programs across the nation in high need areas to help train and find great teachers for underperfomring schools.	Serve in the Chinese classroom for two years teaching English to improve the widening achievement gap.

Postgraduate Internships


Hundreds of paid and unpaid internships available for recent graduates in marketing, fashion, sciences and all liberal arts majors	A job database with several hundred different internships for recent graduates overseas and around the country.	Students from across the nation and around the world come to our high tech research center in the Montana Rockies for ten weeks to help American citizens educate themselves about elected officials and candidates.

What: The Work First Fellowship connects recent college graduates with the opportunity to have a direct impact on urban poverty. Fellows work one-on-one with individuals living below the poverty level to help them find employment and get back on their feet. When: The fellowship lasts ten months in New York, from August to June, and gives students insight into critical issues surrounding poverty in the United States. Students also participate in a policy research project they present at the end of their fellowship. Duties: Fellows help clients prepare resumes, enhance their interview skills, and conduct job search. Fellows also participate in job readiness training, account management, and client outreach to build their skill set and enhance their resumes.	For more than 20 years, the Carter Center's competitive Internship Program has provided more than 2,000 interns from around the world with a rewarding complement to classroom experience, enhancing participants' education and careers in the field of public service. Interns, themselves, make vital contributions to the Center's work advancing peace and health worldwide.	The Institute for the Study of War advances an informed understanding of military affairs through reliable research, trusted analysis, and innovative education. ISW researches to improvie the nation’s ability to execute military operations and respond to emerging threats in order to achieve U.S. strategic objectives. ISW is a non-partisan, non-profit, public policy research organization. ISW hires interns for the Iraq Project, Afghanistan Project, the Middle East Security Project, the Development Department and the Communications Department. Interns work part-time or full-time for three months.

	Recent graduates or those wanting to return to school can benefit from this semester long program which helps students enhance their resume and improve their academic transcripts. Professional development through a four day per week internship and corresponding class strengthens participants’ competitiveness in today’s job market. Meanwhile, our weekly seminar and graduate level electives offered by American University actively engage students in their field while expanding graduate level academic skills.