ABSTRACT
In a series of undergraduate history research seminars discussed here, students were encouraged to develop vocational awareness that included an appreciation of the value of their labor to others, and in turn discover purposefulness in their work. I argue the need for an emphasis on vocation has become increasingly important today. The methods employed in the course differ somewhat from the traditional history research seminar. Rather than working on individual projects, the students collectively investigate a topic of local importance to the community. They write a history and build a website to display their findings. As a result of the public nature of the project, the student’s personal labor becomes embedded within multiple layers of collective responsibility that redefines their perception of the experience. Throughout the chapter, I use students’ comments about their experiences, as well as those by the external partners with whom they worked, to illustrate the manner in which the course spurred vocational reflection in them.
