Mark Sabbe结束了自己广告的职业生涯，开始学习肯代尔大学西餐西点项目。
经济衰退期间，对毕业后就业的担忧使得学生不得不谨慎行事，选择他们能够找到的最有出路的专业。像工程学和商业这样的实践领域的专业火爆起来并不偶然。但是如果像金融和会计这样普通的课程不能让你的心跳得更快一点，你会怎么样呢？
一些学生却反这种实践潮流而行，决定学习他们喜欢的东西。对于芝加哥哥伦比亚大学（Columbia College Chicago）科学和数学部门主席ConstantinRosinariu而言，这是一个明智的战略，反经济状况而行。他表示：“当你做一些你喜爱的事情，你会释放会很多在做其它事情时不会出现的创造性能量。做热爱的事情会使你做出的成果和成功最大化。”
我们来看看以下3名追寻学术梦想的学生吧。
学生：MarkSabbe，课程：肯代尔大学，西餐西点
47岁的Mark Sabbe是典型的职业改变者。在广告行业工作20余年后，Sabbe开始讨厌这种工作，他愿意辞掉前经济萧条期间6位数字工资的工作，去寻找契合自己灵魂的事情。他表示：“我参加了一个‘你正在做你应该在你的生活中做的事情吗？’问答测试，意识到烹饪才是我喜欢做的事情。我最幸福的一件事就是为我的家人做感恩节晚餐。我意识到我并不介意自己吃饭，但是我想要知道其他人如何评价我的烹饪。”
Sabbe开始研究烹饪课程，最后他找到了肯代尔大学。他计划攻读一个证书项目，但是不久他就意识到仅仅提高刀工能力或学习一些调味汁知识并不够。最后，他辞掉了他的工作，进入肯代尔大学的全日制西餐西点副学士学位项目（他已经从普度大学Purdue University获得学士学位）。他说：“做出改变是我整个人生中做出的最好的决定，我喜欢一整天都呆在厨房。”
Sabbe发现将这件事告诉他的父母颇有点挑战性：“短暂的沉默过后，我的父母开始支持我，他们为我感到高兴，但是却在经济上担心我。”他知道食品服务行业薪资待遇普遍较低，至少起步阶段是这样，但是他仍然对12月份毕业后前方等待着他的机会表示乐观。“人们总是去外面吃饭，所以食品行业发展机会众多。我开始相信一个谚语：兴趣所至，金钱相随。”
学生：HeatherDiedrich，项目：罗斯福大学，可持续性研究
Heather Diedrich高中毕业后，并不知道自己想要做什么，所以她选择直接工作而非上大学。她表示：“我不会浪费时间和金钱，除非我知道自己想要做什么。”
但是作为服务员并在零售业工作几年后，Diedrich开始认真对待她的教育问题。她偶然发现了罗斯福大学（RooseveltUniversity）新开设的本科可持续性研究课程的公告，就被吸引住了。“这个课程很适合我。美食、水、社会责任等课题都是我在生活中喜欢阅读和关心的东西。”
罗斯福大学2010年秋季设立的可持续性研究专业是该地区第一个学科间环境研究项目。人文学和可持续性研究副教授Mike Bryson表示：“该项目旨在融合科学、社会科学，甚至是艺术和人文学。该专业也是对其它领域像商业、环境科学、政治科学和历史研究的补充。通过这种方式，我们的学生可以根据自己的兴趣学到一个有用的项目。”
Bryson强调罗斯福的项目在本质上并不是技术性的。他表示：“如果你想要学习如何安装太阳能电池板或设计LEED绿色建筑，那么这个项目并不适合你。”
这个项目非常适合26岁的Diedrich。她的热情在于芝加哥的美食：城市农业、垂直花园、社区花园和公正的食品分配。
对于她而言，学习自己喜爱的课程值得期待：“我知道一些人，他们学的专业非常赚钱，但是他们不喜欢所学的领域，所以他们从来没有真正的开心过。”
Diedrich发现目前市场对在当地食品行业工作的有经验人士需求量很大，但是她却对就业市场持谨慎态度。她表示：“毕业后，如果我找不到带薪工作的话，我会做一些志愿者的工作，但是我相信可持续性会有很大的发展前途。当经济情况好转，我一定会找到一份好工作。这是我愿意为从事自己喜欢的工作而冒的风险。”
学生：AllisonCassidy，项目：芝加哥哥伦比亚大学，艺术品和材料保护
Diedrich先选择的项目，然后才是学校，但是20岁的AllisonCassidy已经进入了她梦想的学校芝加哥哥伦比亚大学，她找到了自己理想的专业：艺术品和材料保护。
这个新项目将会为学生提供本科教育，教会他们如何修理、保护和保存各种各样的艺术品。从前，保护者是通过学徒的方法接受培训，但是该领域的科学和道德需求却增加到需要正式教育的地步。根据直接负责哥伦比亚项目的Rosinariu所说，该项目是美国仅有的2个本科艺术品保护项目之一。
Rosinariu表示：“艺术品保护者首先要是一位科学家和掌握丰富的化学知识的侦探。他们也必须完全了解材料科学，知道木头、帆布和纸如何与其它物质相互联系。”
Rosinariu相信，哥伦比亚的学生文化使学校非常适合开设这个保护项目。“有些学生非常喜欢艺术，但是他们知道自己不会成为专业的艺术家。他们有较高的鉴赏力，其中一些人还有同等的科学鉴赏力。目前，有一个项目非常适合他们。”
这一评价简洁清楚表达了Cassidy的观点。这个大二学生刚开始学的是戏剧专业，但是很快她就意识到她并不具备学习这个专业所需的素质，尽管她并不想离开哥伦比亚。“我甚至不知道这份工作或这种课程项目的存在，但是艺术、化学和历史的结合却很符合我的兴趣。这种专业涵盖多学科，而我不会被归为学习任何一项的任何一种类别。”
完成哥伦比亚项目（其中包括在意大利学习一年）以后，学生如果想成为艺术品保护者的话，他们需要继续读研究生。研究生课程招生人数仍然很少，每年不超过20个，Rosinariu表示这个政策反映出艺术品保护者就业市场的“选择性”特点。
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Times may be tough, but that's no reason not to studywhat you love
Mark Sabbe left a career in advertising toattend Kendall College's Culinary Arts program.
During periods of economic hardship, worries aboutpost-graduation jobs can lead students to play it safe, choosing the mostmarketable major they can find. So it's no coincidence that practical fields ofstudy like engineering and business are booming. But what if mundane courseslike finance and accounting don't make your heart beat faster with excitement?
Some students are bucking the practicality trend and decidingto study what they love. To Constantin Rosinariu, chair of the department of scienceand math at Columbia College Chicago, this is a wise strategy, economicconditions to the contrary. "When you do something you love, you unleash alot of creative energy you would not have otherwise," he says. "Youmaximize your outcome and success by doing what you love."
Here's a look at three students who are following theiracademic dreams.
Student: Mark Sabbe Program: Kendall College,Culinary Arts
At 47, Mark Sabbe is the classic career-changer. After 20+years in the advertising industry doing work he came to dislike, Sabbe waswilling to walk away from a pre-recession six-figure income to find somethingthat fed his soul. "I took one of those 'Are you doing what you should bedoing with your life?' quizzes and realized it all came back to cooking forme," he says. "The thing that makes me happiest is makingThanksgiving dinner for my family. I realized I didn't care about eating itmyself — I wanted to see what everyone else thought about it."
Sabbe started researching culinary classes, which led him to Kendall College. He planned to do a certificateprogram, but soon realized that just improving his knife skills or learning afew sauces wasn't enough. Instead, he quit his job and enrolled full-time inKendall's associate degree program in culinary arts (he already has abachelor's degree from Purdue University). "Makingthis change has been the best decision I've ever made in my entire life — Ilove being in the kitchen all day," he says.
Still, Sabbe found telling his parents a little challenging:"There was a brief silence, then cautious support—they were happy for me,but concerned about me financially." He knows that the food serviceindustry tends to pay poorly, at least initially, but is optimistic about theopportunities that await him when he graduates in December. "People arealways going to eat and there are always opportunities in food service. I'vecome to believe the old adage: Do what you love and the money willfollow."
Student: Heather Diedrich Program: Roosevelt University,Sustainability Studies
Heather Diedrich didn't know what she wanted to do after highschool, so she entered the workforce instead of going to college. "Ididn't want to waste time or money until I knew what I wanted to do," shesays.
But after several years of working as a server and in retail,Diedrich was ready to get serious about her education. She stumbled upon anannouncement for Roosevelt University's brand-newundergraduate sustainability studies program and was intrigued. "It wasjust perfect for me. The topics to be studied — food, water, socialresponsibility — are what I like to read about and what I care about inlife."
Launched in fall 2010, Roosevelt'ssustainability studies major is the region's first interdisciplinaryenvironmental studies program. "The program aims to integrate thesciences, social sciences and even the arts and humanities," says MikeBryson, associate professor of humanities and sustainability studies. "Wedesigned the major to complement studies in other fields like business,environmental science, political science and history. That way, our studentscan end up with a powerful program unique to their interests."
Bryson stresses that the Rooseveltprogram is not technical in nature. "If you want to learn how to installsolar panels or design LEED buildings, this is not the program for you,"he says.
That suits Diedrich, now 26, just fine. Her passion is foodin Chicago:urban agriculture, vertical gardens, community gardens and equitable fooddistribution.
To her, studying a subject she loves was worth the wait:"I've known people who study subjects where they can make a lot of moneybut don't like the field and they never end up happy."
Diedrich sees a huge need for trained people to work on localfood issues but is understandably cautious about the job market. "Aftergraduation, I can get some volunteer experience if I can't find paid employmentbut I do believe that sustainability is a growing field," she says."I will ultimately be able to find a good job in it as the economyimproves. It's a risk I'm willing to take in order to do work I'm passionateabout."
Student: Allison Cassidy Program: ColumbiaCollege Chicago, Art and Materials Conservation
Diedrich chose the program first, then the school, but20-year-old Allison Cassidy was already enrolled at her dream school, ColumbiaCollege Chicago, when she found her ideal major: art and materialsconservation.
This new program will prepare students to pursue graduateeducation in how to repair, protect and restore artworks of all kinds.Formerly, conservators were trained via the apprentice method, but thescientific and ethical demands in the field have increased to the point thatformal education is needed. According to Rosinariu, who directs Columbia's program, the only two other U.S.undergraduate art conservation programs.
"Conservators are primarily scientists and detectivesfor whom an extensive knowledge of chemistry is vital," he says."They must also understand materials science thoroughly to know how wood,canvas and paper will interact with other substances," Rosinariu says.
Rosinariu believes that Columbia'sstudent culture makes the school a perfect fit for a conservation program."There are students here who are art lovers at the core, but know theywon't be professional artists. They have an appreciation of art and some ofthem have an equal appreciation of science. Now there is a program that fitsthem perfectly."
This assessment sums up Cassidy well. The sophomore hadstarted as a theater major but quickly realized she did not have what it takes,though she didn't want to leave Columbia."I didn't even know this job or type of program existed but thecombination of art, chemistry and history connects many interests ofmine," she says. "It feels like a well-rounded path where I won't bepigeonholed."
After completing the Columbiaprogram, which includes a required year in Italy, students know they will needto attend graduate school if they wish to work as conservators. And the programwill remain small, taking no more than 10 students per year, a policy Rosinariusays reflects the "selective" nature of the conservation job market.
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