Tuesday, Aug 25, 2026
Intentionally designed workshops will culminate in a new certificate
by Alix Knice
Rider University is one of only 46 institutions to receive a 2026 Professional Development Award from the Council of Independent Colleges’s Network for Vocation in Undergraduate Education (NetVUE). The grant will allow the University to develop an initiative to build capability for vocational exploration culminating in a new Certificate in Vocation and Self-Understanding, designed to equip participants with the tools to help others explore their calling.
“When people understand their calling, they are much more likely to find joy, build resilience and move with purpose,” says Darryl Mace, vice president of community engagement and belonging. “This program is designed to support our community so that they can not only find a career, but so that they can find one that they are passionate about.”
The project includes six student-facing vocation workshops that feature intentionally designed and inclusive pathways to vocational exploration and four faculty and staff workshops to build knowledge and capacity in support of vocational exploration.
NetVUE is a nationwide network of nearly 350 colleges and universities formed to support and enrich vocational exploration and discernment among undergraduate students. A program of the Council of Independent Colleges, NetVUE is supported by the generosity of Lilly Endowment Inc. and member dues. CIC administers NetVUE with guidance from an advisory council comprising representatives from participating institutions.