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Explore Your Strengths

Explore Your Strengths

Here at West Virginia University, we use CliftonStrengths^® as a tool to help you learn more about how you show up for yourself and others in a variety of ways. Based on years of positive psychology research, the strengths assessment measures natural patterns of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Learning your top strengths will give you insight into your unique talents, to help you learn more about what you’re naturally good at and how to apply those talents productively. Learn how to apply your strengths academically, in the career space, leadership and even wellbeing areas. By leaning into your strengths, you’ll be able to grow and develop your skills to help you continue to pursue the things you're passionate about as you build community.

Getting Started

Follow these steps.

Take the Assessment

Take the CliftonStrengths® assessment (you may have already done this at New Student Orientation). If you haven't, start by requesting a strengths assessment code by emailing purpose@mail.wvu.edu.
Read Your Report

Read your Strengths for Students or Top Five Report and highlight phrases and words that resonate with you.
Sign Up for a Coaching Session or Workshop

Meet with staff from the Purpose Center for a 1-on-1 coaching session or register for a Strengths 101 for Students workshop or Strengths 101 for Faculty and Staff workshop to learn more about your strengths.
Reach Your “Why”

Think about how you will use your strengths to reach your “why,” and remember it can change over time. Continue attending other Strengths Workshops for Students or Strengths Workshops for Faculty and Staff to better understand how to use your strengths in the classroom, your future career, leadership opportunities and even your wellbeing.

Why Strengths?

Graduates who align their work with their interests, values and strengths are roughly 3x more likely to experience high purpose in work.
The odds of undergraduate student thriving in their wellbeing increase by 4.1x if they strongly agree: “At this school I have the opportunity to do what I do best every day.”
The odds of undergraduate student thriving in their wellbeing increase by 3.6x if they strongly agree: “I apply my strengths at school.”
The odds of undergraduate student thriving in their wellbeing increase by 3.3x if they strongly agree: “I use my strengths in many situations.”
The odds of undergraduate student thriving in their wellbeing increase by 3.0x if they strongly agree: “I know my strengths.”

You’ve taken your Strengths, now what?

Once you’ve completed your CliftonStrengths^® assessment, take some time to read through your personalized reports. Highlight or underline words or phrases that really resonate with you. Then start to build on your knowledge by participating in one of our CliftonStrengths® workshops, pods, or a 1:1 coaching session. Much like purpose, strengths show up holistically and we can invest in them through academics, careers, wellness, and social interactions.

Strengths Workshops for Students

After you’ve taken your assessment, consider joining a workshop to learn more about the practical application of your strengths in your academics, career journey, leadership and wellbeing.

Strengths Workshops for Faculty and Staff

Now that you’ve completed your strengths assessment, dig deeper by learning more about intentional application through a variety of workshops related to career, leadership and wellbeing.

Individual Coaching Sessions

Strengths coaching sessions are a great way to dig deeper into your strengths results to apply them more effectively and learn more about where they might get in your way. Coaching sessions are 45 - 60 minutes and are free for students, faculty and staff.

Team Coaching Sessions

Learn about the strengths of your team and how to build stronger partnerships and communication by understanding the strengths of others on your team and how they work together to achieve goals. Sessions are customized to meet the needs of your team.

Topic-Based Pods for Students

The Purpose Center offers a variety of strengths-based pods for students which provides a deeper understanding of strengths in specific areas such as career, leadership and wellbeing.

If you have specific questions about CliftonStrengths, check out our Strengths FAQs.

Strengths in the Classroom

Looking to incorporate strengths into your classroom? Meet with someone from the Purpose Center to discuss options for free classroom visits. We create unique strengths workshops for your students based on the content most important to your class. We have been in more than 250 different classrooms since our launch in September of 2022. Email purpose@mail.wvu.edu to set up a time to meet.

Strengths for Student Organizations

Looking to incorporate strengths into your student organization? Check out our Strengths for Student Organizations options. If you don’t see something you’re looking for, you can request a meeting at purpose@mail.wvu.edu to create custom content for your organization.

How Purpose and Strengths Work Together

The Purpose Center offers a variety of programming for both purpose and strengths. While the two can work in partnership, the concepts are different.

Purpose is a process of self-discovery through reflection, awareness, experiences and opportunities. Tools like CliftonStrengths® can help you create self-awareness by understanding more about your natural patterns of thoughts, feelings and behaviors, reflect on where you’re currently at, and help you apply the things you’re naturally good at in a variety of ways to reach your goals. Much like purpose, strengths can be applied to academics, career, essential skills, leadership, and wellbeing. While purpose work is not the same as strengths work, they can partner together to create a broader impact and help you be more effective. Purpose is the why, strengths can be the how.

Joshua Niedermeyer

Pittsburgh, PA Psychology Student

Top 5 Strengths

Input®, Relator®, Learner®, Responsibility®, Command®

It is important to know your strengths so you are aware of what value you bring to the table. Personally, knowing my strengths has helped to further develop my sense of self and has made it clear to me what my role is in relationships and positions I hold. For example, being the President of WVU’s Psychology Club takes intense leadership skills, and in the past I have questioned if I was the right fit. Discovering Responsibility® and Command® are two of my top strengths assured me that I am equipped with the traits I need to successfully lead.