Christy Craft, associate professor in special education, counseling and student affairs, spoke about her search for a meaningful vocation on Thursday as part of the “What Matters to Me and Why?” speaker series.
Craft characterizes her story with a sincere desire to experience authenticity and meaningfulness in life. Her story involves challenges she faced and opportunities she gained.
Throughout her childhood, Craft’s family went to church three times a week and she said she disliked going. It wasn’t until Craft started her undergraduate career at Bradley University that she experienced faith and started getting involved with the church.Related:
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Craft spoke about how she found a meaningful vocation by understanding and experiencing the intersection of three dimensions of her identity: family, work and faith.
Craft’s story involved letting go of formative ideas and identities and embracing new ones. She explained how being a resident assistant and a hall director in college shaped her leadership and teaching style. As a result of these experiences, Craft brings practice-based knowledge of residence life, judicial affairs, student organizations, leadership development, Greek life and health awareness programming into the classroom.
Craft has been at Kansas State since 2005. Her research focuses on issues of spirituality and religion in higher education; she also has a special interest in legal issues in the university setting.
Makenzie Wipperman, K-State alumna interning with Christian Challenge, said she knows Craft from church and other meetings.
“I’m trying to learn from her,” Wipperman said. “I think she has really good insight on how to combine faith and work.”
Jessie Carr, sophomore in family studies and human services, said she too has struggled with finding what career she wants to pursue. She said that when she saw the title of this lecture, “My Search for a Meaningful Vocation,” she knew she needed to attend.
“I just want to make the most impact and I feel like this will give me some guidance,” Carr said.
“What Matters to Me and Why?” is an informal lunchtime series designed to build and strengthen bonds between people who teach, learn and work together daily and to foster understanding of how students embrace K-State’s Principles of Community. Presenters are encouraged to share a story of their journey, the lessons they have learned, the personal choices they have made and the core values they have adopted.
The Staley School of Leadership Studies, the College of Education and the President’s Committee on Religion sponsor this series.
