Beth Ford is the career coach for students who are interested in any of the health sciences.
Career coach Beth Ford
She has worked in many areas of higher education, and acting as a career coach is by far her favorite role. She enjoys the one-on-one interaction with students and seeing just how far they can go.
“It’s fun and exciting for me to see the progression and improvement of the students. I have a passion for working with students and helping them realize their dreams and figuring out the path to get there. It’s really satisfying.
"You don’t have to know where you want to go or what you want to do right away. All coaches are meant to help you discover and uncover who you are and what you want to do.
“It’s very typical for students to start college not knowing what they want to major in, or to change their mind during their time here. We are the resources they can come to. We are interested in helping them find their path, and understanding that it’s really concentrating on just figuring out what that next step is.
“It’s overwhelming to try and figure out what you want to do for the rest of your life, so if we can help you figure out what the next steps are and break those down into manageable pieces – that’s our goal.
"Viking Score is a good example for small, tangible steps with motivation. No matter when you come into our office, first year or senior year, we help you figure out those steps and how to move forward.
Why Augustana?
"We have close connections with the different departments in CORE and throughout campus and we all work as a team. Having those connections on campus and being able to connect students with mentors is so important. The more mentors you have, the better – and I know, whatever the student ends up majoring in, these mentor connections are there.
"I love the energy Augustana students bring to campus, and I have a passion for helping students identify their unique skills and talents and finding ways to connect those with opportunities and future goals. I’m really proud of the work we do."
How to reach Beth Ford
Phone: 309-794-8158
Email: BethFord@augustana.edu
Office: Olin 124
Beth Ford's home town is Rock Island. She earned at B.A. in education from Bradley University.
Whitey’s order: Hot fudge shake – a classic!