The Science Behind Goals
New Year's Resolutions are out. Making goals that resonate with your true desires are in.
But have you struggled with sticking to your goals, whether you're working on personal achievements, coursework as a student, or just everyday work life? Find out what research says about goal setting, and how celebrating the small steps can lead to big change.
“With goals, we want to want them. We have been given a sense of what we should do or what we should want to accomplish, but if we don’t have that desire in our heart of hearts, it will be very difficult to change our behavior,” according to Elliot Berkman, College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) psychology professor and divisional associate dean, Natural Sciences.
Read more about what's happening in the College of Arts and Sciences in the January issue of CAS Connection.
News from CAS
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We Love Our Supporters
Gifts to the College of Arts and Sciences can help our students make the most of their college careers. To do this, CAS needs your support. Your contributions help us ensure that teaching, research, advising, mentoring, and support services are fully available to every student. Thank you!
What’s Happening in CAS?
How can you rethink goals, whether it's for personal achievement, success in the classroom or in everyday work life? CAS Psychology Professor and Natural Sciences Divisional Associate Dean Elliot Berkman offers a way to rethink the "why" behind your goals.
Also in the January CAS Connection issue, find out what new CAS major is equipping students to drive change, how squatting in three US cities influenced housing policies, an alum who leveraged his Spanish degree to a U.S. Department of State job—and more.
Undergraduate Studies
Wherever your academic goals eventually take you at the UO, all Ducks begin their journey with foundational courses in CAS. More than 60 percent of students go on to pursue a major in a CAS department or program. With more than 50 departments and programs, there’s an intellectual home for almost any interest, talent, or career aspiration.
Graduate Studies
The College of Arts and Sciences offers more than 30 master's programs and more than 20 doctoral programs across a diverse range of disciplines. Both as contributors to research teams and through their own scholarship and teaching, our CAS graduate students are indispensable to the vitality of the UO academic mission.
Student Support Services
We provide our students with a variety of resources to help you thrive inside and outside the classroom. Through Tykeson Advising, we provide comprehensive academic and career advising from the start of your journey at the University of Oregon. Learn about career preparation and get assistance in selecting the very best classes. Connect with labs, libraries, IT and tutoring. Find your community on campus.
World-Class Faculty
The College of Arts and Sciences faculty members are a driving force of the high-output, high-impact research activity that has earned the UO membership in the prestigious Association of American Universities (AAU). Our world-class faculty members are inspiring teachers.
Among them are five members of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, four members of the National Academy of Sciences. They are committed to helping students discover their academic passion. Every day, they work to expand students’ intellectual horizons, preparing them for life after college with real-world knowledge and skills.
Meet our Dean
In the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS), we are committed to excellence in research and teaching, student success, and diversity, equity, and belonging.
A liberal arts education—one that offers a breadth of intellectual approaches and perspectives and depth in a major discipline—is the foundation to a purposeful life as a life-long learner, engaged citizen, and leader. The skills you will learn here—from written and verbal communication to analytical and quantitative reasoning, to compassion and understanding—are those that employers seek and will open the door to a wealth of opportunities.
You will find more than 50 majors and a multitude of minors within CAS, and seemingly endless opportunities for personal exploration and discovery. Whether you are an incoming first-year student, a grad student or a transfer student, you can map an exciting future and be part of a fun, warm, engaged liberal arts community here. Come join us. And go Ducks!
The College of Arts and Sciences includes:
Happening at CAS
Find daily ways to engage your career curiosity with workshops, local industry tours, alumni panels & networking events, the Winter Career & Internship Expo (1/29), and Practice Interview Day (1/30) that will help you develop skills and connections on the road to career readiness. For a full list of workshops, career tours, networking events, resume reviews, alumni panels, and more, visit career.uoregon.edu/events or register for events in Handshake. Why wait?! Stop by the University Career Center in Tykeson Hall-Garden Level ASAP to get drop-in resume reviews and other career guidance to make the most of your Career Readiness Week!
The University Career Center offers a special thanks to our Winter 2026 Career Readiness Week sponsor: Enterprise Mobility!
Resume Extravaganza Wednesday, January 21st, 11am-4pm, Tykeson Hall Commons (1st Floor) Did you know you can have someone review your resume before the Winter Career & Internship Expo? Drop in anytime to get feedback on your resume. Don’t have a resume? Come learn how to make one!
Portland Internship Experience Virtual Info Session Thursday, January 22nd, 3pm-4pm, Zoom (register via Handshake) Interested in learning more about PIE? Get an overview of the program including the application process, curriculum and expectations, resources/support available throughout the summer, and insights from last year's program.
Career Tour: Life Sciences & Beyond! Friday, January 23rd, 9am-1:30pm, meet at Ford Alumni Center Want to see what it's like to work in a state-of-the-art laboratory, do scientific research, project management, or even scientific communication. Tour Stops include: Thermo Fisher Scientific, Yogi Tea, & InVivo Biosystems. Lunch included!
Curious about the Career & Internship Expo (Virtual Info Session) Monday, January 26th, 12pm-1pm via Zoom (Register in Handshake) Learn the ins and outs of navigating the in-person Winter Career & Internship Expo, updating your Handshake profile, researching employers, and how to present yourself authentically during the expo.
How To: Interview Strategies (Workshop) Monday, January 26th, 2pm-2:45pm, Tykeson Hall Garden Level 50P (University Career Center-Conference Room) We’ll break down the different types of interviews you might face, how to prep without spiraling, and how to answer questions with confidence.
How To: Resume Writing (Workshop) Tuesday, January 27th, 1pm-1:45pm, Tykeson Hall Garden Level 50P (University Career Center-Conference Room) We’ll cover what actually matters on a resume and how to make your experience shine! Plus, we’ll break down how AI plays a role in the job application process. Leave with tips to make your resume clean, strong, and job ready!
How To: Cover Letters (Workshop) Tuesday, January 27th, 3pm-3:45pm, Tykeson Hall Garden Level 50P (University Career Center-Conference Room) We’ll show you what a cover letter really needs. Plus, we’ll dive into how AI is changing the application game and what that means for personalizing your letter. Leave with tips to make yours clear, compelling, and unmistakably you.
Your Future in Communication (Panel + Networking) Tuesday, January 27th, 4pm-6pm, Tykeson Hall 1st Floor Commons 4-5pm: Industry Insights Panel: Hear stories and ask questions of industry leaders who have excelled in their careers as communications professionals. From backgrounds and experiences in advertising, public relations, journalism, and more! Learn about the skills and connections you can develop today to thrive in the future.
5-6pm: Connect with Employers & Alumni: Grab a snack and rotate through casual small group chats with alumni, professionals, and employers to learn more about their companies, career paths, and get advice about how to find career-building opportunities and connections for your future in the field of Communication.
GitHub Portfolios for Job Seekers (Workshop) Wednesday, January 28th, 4pm-6pm, Knight Library-Dream Lab (122) Learn how to create a free digital portfolio on GitHub to highlight your coding and career readiness skills for future employers & open-source projects.
Biz Careers: Marketing, Sales, Operations & Analytics (Panel + Networking) Wednesday, January 29th, 5:30pm-6:30pm Alumni Panel in Lillis 182 + 6:30-8pm Networking Mixer in Lillis Atrium Learn from alumni about career paths and what skills and experience you can gain now to be a competitive applicant. Immediately after the panel discussion, expand your network of employer connections and learn about immediate opportunities for internships and full-time jobs.
Winter Expo Preview & Tour Thursday, January 29th, 11:15am-12pm, EMU Ballrooms/Maple First Career & Internship Expo? Or just a little nervous? Come early and get a low-stress, behind-the-scenes look at how to navigate the expo and make a good first impression with employers.
Winter Career & Internship Expo Thursday, January 29th, 12pm-4pm, EMU Ballrooms Get curious about your future and make connections with cool employers! Over 50+ businesses, non-profits, and government agencies are on campus and excited to share more with you about their organization and early career talent opportunities—especially internships and summer jobs! Take part in the Expo Scavenger Hunt to win prizes and have fun conversation starters with employers. Want to make a great first impression? Bring copies of your resume and wear an outfit that reflects your confidence, personality, and professionalism.
School of Architecture & Environment Career & Networking Fair Thursday, January 29th, 11am-3pm, Lawrence Hall Meet firms in person! Bring your portfolio, be ready to schedule an informational or internship interview. Perhaps you are seeking a job! Meet and talk to firms to establish when they might be hiring. Build your professional network. These firms are ready to mentor and offer internships and job opportunities!
Winter Practice Interview Day (Drop-Ins Welcome!) Friday, January 30th, 12pm-4pm (30-45 minutes each), Tykeson Hall 1st Floor Commons Come practice commonly asked interview questions and get active feedback on your communication style, interviewing skills, professionalism, and more. Get feedback from experienced professionals and career coaches.
Portland Internship Experience Virtual Info Session Friday, January 30th, 3pm-4pm, Zoom (register via Handshake) Interested in learning more about PIE? Get an overview of the program including the application process, curriculum and expectations, resources/support available throughout the summer, and insights from last year's program.
noon
Why YOU should come to this Expo...
- You're curious about your future. Explore different career paths and job roles across industries. EXPOse yourself to unique career pathways that can use your career readiness skills and passions to make an impact in the world.
- You want to make connections. These organizations LOVE to hire Ducks and want to help you find your career fit. You might even meet UO alumni recruiting for them at the expo. Ask a recruiter what career readiness skills you can be building now to make you a top candidate in the present or future (and add them to your Linkedin network for future connections!).
- You want to find a job, internship, year of service, volunteer opportunity, and more! If you're actively job searching, have your resume ready to hand out and a short and sweet synopsis about yourself and your professional interests ready to go! If you're just exploring options, collect contact info, do some additional research, and do an informational interview to learn more before you apply.
- You want to build your confidence! Practice asking questions of employers AND sharing about who you are and what you're passionate about. Every expo you attend and each time you approach a recruiter, you get more and more comfortable presenting yourself in a professional manner.
WHO'S COMING? Find your career fit with over 50+ employers comprised of private industry; public, educational, and non-profit organizations; local government, the federal government, law enforcement, and military--ALL on campus and excited to share more with you about their organization and early career talent opportunities. Open to students from ALL majors, classifications, and identities. Every expo looks a little different so come each term to keep exploring and expanding your career opportunities!
WHAT NEXT? Register for the Expo on Handshake today to learn about all the companies coming, and positions of interest you can be researching. We'll also send you tips and advice for how to make the most of the expo, including Career Readiness Week workshops like our Resume Extravaganza so you can have a great resume to hand to potential employers!
The University Career Center thanks Enterprise Mobility for sponsoring all of our Winter Career Readiness Week events and workshops.
For a full list of Winter Career Readiness Week (January 23-30) events and workshops, check out http://career.uoregon.edu/events
5:30 p.m.
The Oregon Humanities Center presents Christopher Brown and his jazz band
Each moment of our lives presents us with opportunities and challenges for us to make decisions that will shape the next minute, hour, day, week, month, year, and decade to come. If we want positive outcomes, the challenge is learning how to string together appropriate decisions in each moment. And for that, a decision-making filter is required. Christopher Brown and his band will demonstrate how jazz musicians use decision-making filters to identify what’s worth and what’s not worth paying attention to in various moments of our lives. His presentation and the band’s performance “Beyond the Buzz: Finding the Signal in a Noisy World” will take place in the Sheffer Recital Hall. There will be a reception with no-host bar at 5:30 p.m. The presentation and performance will begin at 6 p.m.
Christopher Brown is a Portland-based musician, composer, bandleader, and educator who seeks to be a voice for the advocacy of jazz music and American culture. After 20 years of military service, Brown studied jazz at Rutgers University’s Mason Gross School of the Arts earning undergraduate and graduate degrees in Jazz Studies/Performance. He has taught as an artist in-residence at Wells Fargo’s “NJPAC Jazz For Teens” program (NJ), Mt. Hood Jazz Camp (OR), Mel Brown Jazz Camp (OR), Litchfield Jazz Camp (CT), Rutgers Summer Jazz Institute (NJ), Montclair Jazz Camp (NJ), and the International Summer Music Camp (Brno, Czech Republic). His musical and personal experiences have led him to an interest in synthesizing the principles of jazz with the day-to-day practicalities of life.
This event is part of the 2025–26 Cressman Lectureship.
6:00–7:30 p.m.
Phi Beta Kappa Visiting Scholar Margo Schlanger will hold a public lecture on:
"Federal Civil Rights Cases by and against the Trump Administration"
Margo Schlanger is the University of Michigan's Wade H. and Dores M. McCree Collegiate Professor of Law, and the founder and director of the Civil Rights Litigation Clearinghouse. Professor Schlanger earned her JD from Yale in 1993, and clerked for Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Professor Schlanger is the 2025-2026 Carl F. Cranor Family Visiting Scholar.