Career Decision and God’s Guidance: Conversations with Mentors

Description

This seminar series is designed to help participants navigate one of the most significant decisions of your life: your career path. The choices you make now about your major and future profession can feel overwhelming. This course provides a unique opportunity to explore these decisions not just from a practical standpoint but also through the lens of faith, helping you align your career with God’s purpose for your life.

Mentors in Engineering

Stephen Gan is 36 years old and works as a Business Information Lead for a major national retailer. He graduated in 2011 from the University of Maryland College Park with a bachelors in Chemical Engineering. He also holds an MBA from Lehigh University. He and his wife Julia live in Bethlehem PA where they serve Lehigh UBF. Together they have 4 kids (7, 5, 2, 11mo).

Fredrick Naikal is an Electronics Engineer at NASA. His work involves modeling, designing and developing spaceflight Radio and Digital Communications Systems that enable various scientific and space exploration missions. He is married to Esther and has two children: Lydia (9 years) and Samuel (5 years), and is blessed to be a part of Washington UBF church in College Park, MD.

Mentors in Medicine

Joseph Kim is a Surgical Pathology Fellow at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP). He earned his DO medical degree at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2021 and finished Pathology Residency at HUP in 2025. Since beginning of his medical school year in 2016, he has been a faithful member, praise and worship team leader, and later JBF co-leader with his wife, Sarah, in Philadelphia UBF.

Debora Jeong is a second-gen, born in South Korea. She attended CSULB, majoring in Food and Dietetics, with a concentration in Nutritional Science (2015-2019). Then she attended Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC (2019-2023). She has been practicing general dentistry for a little over 2 years. She currently works in private practice with her dad, who is also a general dentist, in the greater Los Angeles area.

Mentors in Nursing

Moses Kim (Philadelphia UBF)
Mary Diamond (Washington UBF)

Mentors in Education

Augustine Park has served in Prince George's County Public Schools in Maryland for over twenty years as both a classroom teacher and a testing coordinator.  He has also led church ministry for young people for more than two decades, following God's calling to serve the youth.  He deeply loves his wife, Sarah, and their children, Jonathan, Abigail, and Benjamin.

Ezra Lee is a kindergarten teacher at Hamilton Elementary in Carlisle PA. He teaches in a Title I school, where many students and families face financial challenges. It has taught him to lean on God for guidance as he supports children with very different needs. Originally from Shippensburg and an active member of Shippensburg UBF, he is currently pursuing his master’s in School Librarianship at PennWest University, hoping to become an elementary school librarian.

Mentors in Business

Mary Lee currently works as a Fixed Assets staff accountant at Utz in Hanover PA. Graduated from University of Richmond with a B.S. in Accounting and a concentration in Finance. Previously worked at PwC as a Senior Audit Associate where she earned her CPA license in 2022.

Mentors in Law

Esder Chong is the second daughter of the most gentle, kind, fun parents. She loves Thai food and drinks more coffee than she probably should. Her background is in policy/law, with studies at Rutgers, Tsinghua, and Harvard. Lately, she’s been thinking about Leviticus, the US housing/eviction crisis, and (more practically) how to cut back on sugar.

Course Objectives

This course aims to equip you with the tools and insights you need to make informed, God-centered decisions about your career. Instead of relying solely on your own understanding or external pressures, you will learn how to seek and recognize God's guidance. The core of this course is a series of conversations with mentors—experienced professionals who have successfully integrated their faith with their careers. By listening to their stories and asking them questions, you will gain practical wisdom and spiritual clarity.

Required Texts and Materials

<Reference Materials>

* "The Call: Finding and Fulfilling the Central Purpose of Your Life" by Os Guinness
* "Every Good Endeavor: Connecting Your Work to God's Work" by Timothy Keller

Course Evaluation

NA

Language

English