Summary
Pathfinder Quest: Pathways to Possibilities helps students explore how their interests connect to real careers. Through online activities and reflection, students learn that choosing a major isn’t about being perfect, but rather finding a path that fits who they are and where they want to go.
Essential Questions
What factors should I consider when choosing a major that supports my career goals?
Snapshot
Engage - Two Truths and a Lie Career Activity
Explore - O*NET Interest Profiler
Explain - Interests and Careers Discussion
Extend - O*NET Job outlook and salary search
Evaluate - I Used to Think... but Now I Know reflection
Materials List
Learning Goals
Students will be able to identify how different college majors can lead to a variety of career paths.
Students will use online career exploration tools to research potential jobs, employers, and salaries related to a chosen major.
Students will reflect on how their perceptions of careers and majors have changed.
Engage
Explore
Explain
Extend
Evaluate
Follow-Up Activities
Pathfinder Quest is a five-part workshop series designed to guide first-year college students through a meaningful and confident transition into college life. You just completed part three. We recommend moving to part four, “Resume Ready: Essential Skills and AI Tools for Crafting Your Perfect Resume” next.
Research Rationale
First Generation College Students (FGCS) lack the social capital of their middle-to-upper-class peers and thus struggle in their college and career readiness experiences (Almeida, D et al., 2019). Social capital is defined as the relationships you develop in your personal and professional life that provide support and guidance. Research indicates that FGCSs struggle to build social capital due to a lack of experience and knowledge stemming from their familial, social, and economic background. Structured programs on post-secondary institution campuses that are readily available and convenient help bridge the gap between FGCSs and their peers (Dernberger, 2025).
Social Capital
At the post-secondary level, social capital refers to the relationships and interactions that students build with peers, faculty, and professionals. These connections provide valuable resources and support, such as information about career opportunities and access to academic and extracurricular activities. Thompson et al. (2023) explain that students had better academic and career opportunities after utilizing their campus Career Services than those who did not. However, students from lower socioeconomic families are less likely to possess valuable information about college success, leading to less access to campus resources than their higher socioeconomic peers (Dernberger, 2025; Almeida et al., 2019). Studies suggest that developing social capital between students and faculty is essential for students' development, positively impacting academic achievement and retention. (Almeida et al., 2019). Students often have difficulty with the career decision-making process, and campus resources, such as Career Services departments, help ease this process by considering the student’s personality, interests, and background.
Resources
Almeida, D., Byrne, A., Smith, R., & Ruiz, S. (2019). How Relevant Is Grit? The Importance of Social Capital in First-Generation College Students’ Academic Success. Journal of College Student Retention, 23(3), 539-559. https://doi.org/10.1177/1521025119854688
Coplin, B. (2012). 10 Things Employers Want You to Learn in College: The Skills You Need to Succeed. New York, Ten Speed Press.
Dernberger, B. N. (2025). Inequality in the College-to-Career Transition: Building Career-Relevant Cultural and Social Capital on Campus. Sociology Compass, 19(3). https://doi.org/10.1111/soc4.70041
K20 Center. (n.d.). Fiction in the Facts. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/60
K20 Center. (n.d.) I Used to Think... but Now I Know. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/137
Thompson, D., Dent, H., & Fine, M. (2023). Factors Related to a College Student’s Career Optimism and Their Perception of Career Services. Higher Education Quarterly, 77(3), 395–409. https://doi.org/10.1111/hequ.12408
Zainudin, Z. N., Rong, L. W., Nor, A. M., Yusop, Y. M., & Othman, W. N. W. (2020). The relationship of Holland theory in career decision making: A systematic review of literature. Journal of critical reviews, 7(9), 884-892.
