The Project

Williams College undoubtedly prepares you for life beyond the Purple Valley. But where do you go? What do you do? Maybe you already know, or you think you know. Or maybe you have no idea at all.

As adventurous as the average senior believes him or herself to be (hey, I went abroad!), few are prepared for ‘dis-orientation’, that post-graduation fog that can loom over the beginnings of adult life. Yes, life-shaping decisions have been made before—where to go to college, what to do during the summers, a field of major – but, for the majority, none as open-ended as what should you do with your life? Or at least, what’s next? And how do you get there?

While last year’s Expedition project sent a group of recent graduates on a mission to bring together groups of Ephs outside the Purple Valley, this year’s will focus more on the individual. The Alumni Relations Office, in conjunction with the Office of Career Counseling, is excited to send Hallie Davison ’07 to meet a number of alums across the country, interviewing them on the topic of the career paths they’ve created and how these paths have been shaped by a liberal arts education. She’ll be documenting her travels on the Expedition 2010 blog, and providing snapshots of the people she’s meeting along the way. However, for the final product, you’ll have to check back in the fall when a new website—a collaboration between Alumni Relations and OCC, launches with the full gallery of interviews.

We hope you check back often to follow her journey, and of course post any comments or questions!

Trip Goals:

  • Document the stories of individuals who all have a story to tell about finding happiness and fulfillment in their work
  • Empower students & alumni to consider range of career trajectories available to them
  • Better understand the Williams Network and highlight examples of its power
  • Offer a new kind of web-accessible resource for undergraduates, young alumni and the extended Williams community who are looking for career-based guidance and connection