Whether it's because of the weather, daylight savings time or the fact that the 2006 Commencement is less than two months away, most students have summer on their mind. For college students, thoughts of summer bring with them concerns about jobs, internships and, for seniors, life permanently outside the "Amherst bubble." Luckily, the College provides an invaluable service for both current students and alumni: the Career Center.

Since moving into its new location in College Hall last year, the Career Center has continued to provide the College community with the same invaluable advice but with the benefits of a larger and more pleasant and functional space. However, it's not the coffee machine that should be drawing Amherst students toward the corner of College and Pleasant Streets.

As we all know, it's far too easy to become so preoccupied with college life that little else comes to mind. But just as undergraduate admissions are more competitive than ever, grad schools and employers are looking for more from their applicants. While grades and test scores will play a significant role in whether one is admitted or hired, what students do during their summers now plays a bigger part than ever, and that's where the Career Center comes in. Of course, there is a vast amount of information on summer opportunities available via the Internet, but through the College one can take advantage of the College's impressive network of alumni willing to help current students.

In recent months the campus has been engaged in debate surrounding the CAP report's plans for the future of the Fairest College. Along with reaching out to low-income applicants, the administration has discussed the possibility of guaranteeing funded summer internships for all students. Currently, students who can't afford to live away from home face a trickier summer job search than their more affluent peers. Marx's plan may be years from fruition, but through myriad funding options available through the Career Center (e.g., the Tom Gerety Fellowships for Action) low-income students can often find employment that is both gainful and meaningful.

Unfortunately, we can not remain college students forever. Sometime in the next few years each of us will be searching for something to do beyond the next summer; and although the College boasts some of the finest professors, students and facilities of any institution in the country, a liberal arts college is not in the business of providing its graduates with a vocation. For this reason, an outstanding Career Center is essential for a school like Amherst.

Regardless of whether you are a first-year looking to work for a magazine this summer or a senior applying for prestigious national fellowships, we urge you to take advantage of the resources that the Career Center has to offer.