Out of the more than 50,000 students attending Ohio State, not all of them want to be business professionals, lawyers, doctors or senators. Some want to write books about astrology, excavate dig sites in Middle Eastern countries or film documentaries.

One of the most daunting questions that exists when choosing a college degree is the everlasting debate between doing what you’re passionate about versus doing what will provide you financial security and comfort.

Some students, like Daniel Zaas, a sophomore studying international development studies and geography, wants to follow a less conventional path.

“I went to Tanzania on a community service trip, and that’s when I knew,” he said. “After such a life-changing experience, I knew my passion was in helping developing countries.”

But for some students choosing between their passions and a more practical financial future isn’t as easy, said Allison Jones, a career counselor at the Career Connection center.

“This question is very common; I have students ask this every day,” Jones said. “The two big demographics are sophomores who have to make a decision about their major and seniors who are getting ready to graduate worried about their upcoming job search. Ultimately, the question, ‘what will I do for the rest of my life?’ is what encourages most students to come see our office.”

Jones suggested students who are unsure of their interests or priorities to pursue internships, volunteer opportunities and informational interviews.

“There’s just no good substitute for seeing a career in action,” she said.

Ohio State is by no means conservative in its degree offerings; the university offers more than 170 majors across its campuses. This wide variety of subjects may seem overwhelming to students, so The Office of Student Life has individualized programs available to aid in each student’s quest for the perfect profession.

In fact, OSU has about 16 different offices dedicated to this cause. One of these offices, Career Connection in the Younkin Success Center, exists to help students answer the primary questions of “who am I?” and “what do I want to do?”

For Stacy McKenna, a fourth year English major going into Library Sciences graduate school at Kent State, the answer was simple.

“I want to be a librarian because I want to help my community,” she said. “Helping someone find the resources they need or being a resource myself is worth more than any amount of money. That and library science is easy as hell.”

Austin McNeal, an English major alum and a grad student in the OSU education program, knows the financial limitations of teaching, but that didn’t sway his decision either.

“If you go into education to get rich, you clearly aren’t educated,” he said. “Teaching isn’t about the money, the status or the recognition; it’s about having a passion to impact students’ lives.”

Renee Fawcett, an OSU alumnae who now works in the college’s human resources department as an office associate, said she thinks a college plan can reflect both components.

“Money is never going to make you happy unless you do something you’re entirely passionate about,” she said. “A way to prepare yourself for this in the real world is through taking advantage of minors. You could major in a broad topic and choose a minor to suit your interests.”

The questions the Career Connection center says one should ask his or herself before choosing a major may seem like a rather existential lineup, but the office delves much deeper into students’ needs than traditional career services.

Jones said answering these two questions is crucially important to determining a viable career path.

“There’s a lot to take into consideration when choosing a career, such as values, stability and security,” she said. “It differs from person to person, so I’d say, generally, start with something you’re passionate about. If your passion is there, normally we can find a career that will fit.”

Some students, however, see a college education as a means for pursuing a strictly practical career path.

Sebastian Olsson, a freshman at OSU, chose to pursue a degree in business because of the steady demand for business professionals in the workforce. Olsson said the money he spends on his degree is what influences his practical rationale.

“You’re spending thousands of dollars on an education,” he said. “You can travel around the world and gain life experiences for less money than it takes to afford you a college degree.”

But some alumni, like Muskingum College graduate Brian Rippel, did both of those things.

By studying for a year abroad in Toulon, France, while getting his undergraduate degree in international business and French, he said he learned what he wanted to do for the rest of his life.

“Most of my career so far has been practical, but I hope to fuse my work with my broader interests as I complete my MBA,” said Rippel, a sales and service associate for Chase Bank. “It’s important to realize that passion leads us to do extraordinary things as humans. Someday, I hope to make my mark on the world.”

Chelsea Hagan, a freshman majoring in strategic communication and political science, said it’s not choosing one or the other, but making your passions practical that will bring you the most satisfaction.

“Through following your passions, you will reach something more important than money — fulfillment,” she said. “Money can only last for so long and create so much happiness, so in the end, doing what you love is more important.”

At a place like Ohio State, with such a diverse community of skills and activities, following your interests rather than following the money can be an intimidating task.

“We know this is a tough process for students,” Jones said. “It’s important for them to realize we are here to help so it doesn’t have to be so overwhelming.”

_The Career Connection office holds walk in hours from 10 a.m. to midnight every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and from from 2-4 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. To schedule an appointment, call (614) 688-3898 or visit their website at careerconnection.osu.edu. _