Senior Job Shadowing took place during Interterm I, October 15–17, 2025. Each senior explores one or two career vocations of their choice by shadowing adult professionals in the community. Students are required to spend a minimum of two six-hour days for the shadowing experience. They can choose to observe two adults whose jobs are in the same vocational line (for example, a nurse at Goshen Hospital and a nurse at Oaklawn) or they can observe two different vocations (a nurse and a preschool teacher). These experiences give students a glimpse into the work world, allowing them to gain insights into aspects of careers that they might pursue following graduation.
To cap off the job shadowing experience, students write a reflection essay summarizing their experiences and reflecting on aspects of the careers they enjoyed or found challenging, whether or not they will pursue the career, and how the careers matched with their sense of God's call or purpose for their life.
"During my job shadowing in Indianapolis, I observed the work of a healthcare attorney, a rheumatologist, and a pediatrician, which challenged many of my assumptions about both law and medicine. I learned that a law degree can be used outside the courtroom to support healthcare systems and help vulnerable people in indirect but meaningful ways, even though I initially struggled with how distant this felt from individual advocacy. I also noticed major differences between public and private medical settings, with the public hospital feeling hierarchical and impersonal while the private pediatric practice was warm, collaborative, and deeply relational. Seeing long-term doctor–patient relationships, as well as children my own age living with serious disabilities, deeply affected me and reminded me how much I often take for granted. Overall, the experience strengthened my desire to pursue a path centered on service, compassion, and caring for people as whole human beings." Eviella Sefu
"I chose to go shadow a civil engineer and a construction overseer because that's what I want to do with my life. Throughout the two days, I saw schematics, went to construction sites, and drove in a Cybertruck." Gideon Miller
"For my job shadowing experience, I had the opportunity to shadow the National Immigration Justice Center, where I met with clients to seek potential help from the non-profit organization. The organization's headquarters is in Chicago, but have a small office here in Goshen. They help immigrants who seek asylum, refugees, and those who just want to get their papers. This was a huge opportunity for me. In the future, I do want to attend law school and become an immigration lawyer and a policy maker. The takeaway was the awakening of my future and what more I can do to prepare to have an impact on our nation." Luna Calderon
Job Shadowing began in 2010, and was initially set up so students shadowed an adult professional in one vocation for five 6-hour days. Based on feedback from our community partners after the first year, the requirements were adjusted so students shadowed in two different placements for two 6-hour days. The job-shadowing experience took the place of the senior interterm. When interterm was split into two 3-day terms, Job Shadowing was moved to the Interterm I slot. This gives students the workplace experience early in their senior year, as they are starting to plan for life after high school.
This year's vocations explored included education, nursing, medicine, aviation, social work, banking, realty, business and entrepreneurship, auto mechanics, physical therapy, occupational therapy, child life specialists, peace and justice education, music production, civil and mechanical engineering, project management, IT support, facility and grounds maintenance, culinary arts, law, and college coaching. We are grateful for the many members of the community who partnered with us to make the shadowing experience possible for our seniors.