My white-chocolate pumpkin cheesecake recipe is ready to be whipped out and put the sweet finishing note on holiday diners. That’s what I’ve been talking about in conversations with my family and friends since the Halloween costumes were put away –  Thanksgiving potlucks and holiday dinners and parties.

One of my 30-something friends would love to become a personal chef, and she displays a natural talent in the kitchen, creating the most difficult Martha-esque recipes quickly, while mine are disasters. So it’s amazing to learn about the types of culinary training available for her and others pursuing that goal in the growing field.

Look at the backgrounds of celebrity chefs and restaurant owners in major cities competing on popular shows such as “Top Chef,” and you’ll find an array of education experience.

One of my “Top Chef: Las Vegas” favorites, restaurateur Kevin Gillespie of Atlanta, cooked part-time at eateries while attending the Art Institute of Atlanta.

The stars of Food Network also demonstrate different paths to a culinary career. Bobby Flay attended the French Culinary Institute while Giada De Laurentis earned a degree in anthropology from the University of California in Los Angeles before focusing on food and training at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, as did Sandra Lee.

The entertaining Guy Fieri route’s was a bachelor’s degree in hospitality management from the University of Nevada Las Vegas, then working in and owning restaurants before being named “The Next Food Network Star” a while back. Iron Chefs Cat Cora and Michael Symon are graduates of The Culinary Institute of America.

You could leave those schools with associate and bachelor’s degrees as well as the in-depth instruction and hands-on experience that will propel you to succeed in your next kitchen, whether it’s in the glare of the TV cameras or delighting small groups of diners every night.

-Lori Johnston

The 2009 Nobel Prize laureates who are U.S. citizens earned their degrees from a variety of schools. Their hard work has received attention this year, and check out the list below to see how their majors and college paths contributed to their research and efforts that received recognition from the Nobel Prize committee.

Even if you have no interest in these individuals’ fields, their education and focus could inspire you during your college search or career considerations.

Nobel Peace Prize 2009

President Barack Obama: Earned his bachelor’s degree Columbia College, part of Columbia University in New York in 1983, after transferring in his junior year from Occidental College in Los Angeles, and then earned his law degree from Harvard Law School.

Inspired? Consider this: Anyone can aspire to be a do gooder, no matter what career. You may want to consider a career in public policy, social work, education, or local government.

The Nobel Prize in Physics 2009

• Charles Kuen Kao: Earned his Ph.D. in electrical engineering 1965 from the University of London, where he also earned his undergraduate degree.
• Willard Sterling Boyle: Earned his Ph.D. in Physics 1950 from McGill University, Montreal, Canada., where he also earned his undergraduate degree.
• George Elwood Smith: Earned his Ph.D. in Physics 1959 from University of Chicago; earned his bachelor’s degree from University of Pennsylvania.

Inspired? Consider this: Although not everyone can be a physics whiz, you can certainly apply your interest in how things move and work by seeking a career that requires hands-on technical skills. Those in fields like electrical engineering and aviation maintenance use their skills to build and fix.

The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2009

• Venkatraman Ramakrishnan: Earned his Ph.D. in physics in 1976 from Ohio University; did undergraduate studies in Baroda.
• Thomas A. Steitz: Earned his Ph.D. in molecular biology and biochemistry in 1966 from Harvard University, earned his undergraduate degree from Lawrence College in Appleton, Wisc.

Inspired? Consider this: Figuring out chemical reactions was never your strong suit, but you do have “chemistry” when it comes to working well with others. Check out careers in public relations, hospitality management, or occupational therapy.

The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2009

• Elizabeth H. Blackburn: Earned her Ph.D. in 1975 from the University of Cambridge; undergraduate studies at the University of Melbourne.
• Carol W. Greider: Earned her Ph.D. in 1987 from University of California, Berkeley; earned her bachelor’s degree at University of California in Santa Barbara.
• Jack W. Szostak: Earned his Ph.D. in 1977 from Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y.; earned his bachelor’s degree from McGill University in Montreal, Canada.

Inspired? Consider this: If the site of bodily fluids is too much for you to handle, there are many health care positions that involve patient care minus the blood, like being an x-ray technician or working in medical billing or as a hospital technician.

The Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel 2009

• Elinor Ostrom: Earned her Ph.D. in political science in 1965 from the University of California, Los Angeles, where she also earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees.
• Oliver E. Williamson: Earned his Ph.D. in economics in 1963 from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh; received his bachelor’s degree from MIT and MBA from Stanford University in California.

Inspired? Consider this: If you’re known for your number-crunching prowess, careers in financial planning, bookkeeping, and accounting are attainable with just a couple of years or less of schooling.

-Lori Johnston

If you haven’t seen the prolific public service announcements yet, you will. This month, be on the lookout for TV stars like Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Masi Oka, and Rainn Wilson singing the praises of service and volunteering through a new Web site, iParticipate.org. In fact, all sorts of celebs are offering up personal stories on the impact of service, including former bad-boy Mark Wahlberg, who wrote an essay on making a difference for troubled youth.

Why the spotlight on service? According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the rate at which Americans volunteer is around 26 percent, and it hasn’t increased in 40 years. Talk about a sad stat – especially when everyone has something to give.

So the long-range, multifaceted iParticipate campaign, led by the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF) – the leading charitable organization of the entertainment industry – seeks to promote a new way of thinking about service and persuade millions more Americans to volunteer regularly. After all, they say, great change begins with small choices, and one decision to change leads to others.

If you don’t know where to serve, click into iParticipate.org, which simplifies the process of finding volunteer opportunities in your local community. Opportunities are categorized in one of five key areas of service: children and education; community health and wellness; environmental conservation; financial security; and support for veterans and military families. You can register a project for Make a Difference Day, October 24, or you can volunteer any day of the year. EIF has even provided grants to key organizations in order to help build capacity to accept, train, and deploy volunteers.

Once you decide where you’ll volunteer, the site enables you to recruit friends to join you in service. After all, reports the BLS, nearly half of all people who volunteer started because they were asked by someone they know.

Benefits of Service
Though the people you’re serving are the obvious beneficiaries of your commitment, they’re not the only ones who receive a reward. When you get involved and enrich the lives of the people in your community, you strengthen your own wellbeing. Doing good for others enables you to live a longer, happier, healthier life. After all, studies show that those who volunteer early in life experience greater functional ability and better health outcomes later in life.

And volunteering doesn’t need to exist independent of your current activities. In many organizations, employees are actively involved in company-sponsored community service. Corporate community service is a great way to forge bonds with co-workers and supervisors as you become united toward a common, higher goal. Helping the less fortunate can bring a level of compassion and empathy that’s often missing in the workplace. Plus, volunteering can make you a more focused and motivated employee, which always pays dividends in your professional life. You may even decide to take it a step further, and explore a career that gives back.

If you want to change the world, this is one place to start. I participate. Do you?

-Robyn Tellefsen

And now, a roundup of fun sites, blogs, and articles that’ll keep you busy and entertain  you before you hit the books in a few weeks…

Unigo.com’s Back to School College Guide – This time of year, many sites tout their back to school coverage, but what makes Unigo’s unique (say that fast three times!), are the cool interactive components. Our faves: Watch grads on camera giving freshmen advice, or get money tips via “what I wish I’d known about my college budget.”

Snapple Real Facts — Want to always have fun facts at your disposal? Great for making small talk at a campus icebreaker or even an informal job interview. For example, did you know that every ton of recycled paper saves about 17 trees? Tell that to your environmental science professor for some extra credit!

Speaking of saving trees, for all of you “green collar” workers out there, check out CareerBuilder’s new site GoingGreenJobs.com. Good resource articles, and of course, a job search engine — all related to working for a sustainable company. And, at least you know you won’t be making copies all day!

Even if you do spend time at the copier, filing, or even prepping for the SAT,  “paying your dues” job can have a lot more value than you think! Elizabeth King tells you why you shouldn’t look down on drudge work. “Lots of things that aren’t necessarily fun lead to great things,” she says. Next time you feel like you’re doing work that’s “beneath you,” click in here and you’ll see that you’re not necessarily wasting your time or talents.

Finally, if you’re anticipating the sinking feeling of signing away your savings on a tuition check, check out CollegeBound.net’s “25 Things You Can Gain From College Beyond a Degree.” Lots of fun and funky returns on your investment for sure!

Happy Surfing!

** This just in: The latest edition of the Carnival of College Admissions is live. With tons of links from the top college bloggers in the biz, you’re on track for lots of afternoon procrastination surfing. Just be sure your boss isn’t looking for you!

The blogosphere is abuzz with a story about the girl who’s suing her college because she’s jobless after graduation. Check out what our sister blogger at U. Got It? had to say about it:

After taking out $70,000 worth of loans in order to earn a bachelor’s degree from Monroe College, Thompson graduated this April only to find she had no job. Four months later, and the 27-year-old is still jobless, but now she’s too busy filing a lawsuit against her alma mater to bother sending out resumes.

The whole thing is hysterical to me, starting with the fact that the girl expects her alma mater to pound the pavement for her. Nothing is owed to you! College is about getting an education, not about getting you a job. Sure, career services can help — my husband actually got his first job out of school that way — but it’s up to you to do the legwork and market yourself. Of course, now that she’s made headlines, some dopey employer will offer her an opportunity that she doesn’t deserve. Even worse, imagine if she found a sympathetic judge or jury who wanted to make a statement against high college tuition? Stranger things have happened…

It got me to thinking that maybe I’m missing out on lots of lawsuit opportunities that could net me lots of cash. Here are some things I can sue my college for:

1. College was not the best four years of my life. So many people promised that it would be, but I can honestly say I liked high school better. And I enjoyed my graduate school experience even more than that. I was mislead and I demand to be paid!

2. I graduated second in my class, but companies did not come to me with job offers. Maybe that myth isn’t around much anymore (well, except in Trina’s case), but when I attended college, there was always rumors about graduates walking away with their diploma and near six-figure job offers. Recruiters would mysteriously swoop in — apparently having heard about all of the super term papers you wrote — and the next thing you’d, you’d have a corner office! Of course, this does not happen in real life. And now my college must pay me for loss of wages and mental anguish (I’m still not over the rejection!).

3. I never got to wear a toga, or throw up out of a dorm window. Just saying… More false advertising that college would be full of wild times. At the very least, someone owes me a keg. Bonus: I’m now well beyond the legal drinking age.

4. No one warned me about the Freshman 15. Sure, you all know about it now, thanks to informative articles on the Internet, but the Internet was practically new when I was a freshman. And those darn cafeteria cookies and french fries were there, luring in calorie clueless students like me. I think my college should be held responsible for my muffin top, and pay for a personal trainer and chef.

5. Textbook robbery. Why is it that after paying $100 for a new textbook, I only got $15 when I sold it back in near mint condition, yet you tried to sell me tattered and torn used books for $60? Isn’t that illegal, like ticket scalping? Or price gouging? Whatever you want to compare it it, I think I’m entitled to some of those profits.

I figure one of these can be my ticket to big bucks — which do you think is my best shot? And, hey, if you want to share some bitter college memories worth suing about, I’d love to hear them!

-Dawn Papandrea

Why major in finance or philosophy when you can choose one of these off-the-beaten-path undergraduate degree programs? They may sound wacky, but they’re worth a second look.

1 – Bagpiping

Yes, you can actually earn a bachelor of fine arts degree in bagpiping from the Carnegie Mellon School of Music (Pittsburgh, PA). The undergraduate curriculum is composed of studio time, theory, history, ensemble work, and general studies courses and electives. I suppose if I were hiring a bagpiper, I would want one with impressive credentials like these.

2 – Bakery science and management

I didn’t know baking was a science – then again, my version of baking is dumping brownie mix into a pan. At Kansas State University (Manhattan, KS), bakery science degree students can focus on production management (a business-oriented approach) or cereal chemistry (quality control or research and development).

3 – Costume technology

This is the next step after costume design. In the bachelor of fine arts degree program in costume technology at DePaul University’s Theatre School (Chicago, IL), students learn to translate designs into the actual garments actors wear. Costume technology students become theatrical craftsmen, drapers, cutters, and costume shop managers.

4 – Egyptology

If you’re into hieroglyphics and ancient history, you can major in Egyptology at Brown University (Providence, RI). Courses cover the spectrum of Egyptian language and literature, Egyptian civilization, and Egyptian history. I’d be interested to find out how hiring managers view this degree.

5 – Entertainment engineering and design

Consider this the science of the entertainment industry. At the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, students can focus on such specific areas of the entertainment industry as advanced visualization techniques, automation and motion controls, biomechanics and animatronics, entertainment venue design, and structural design and rigging.

6 – Family business

Students at Stetson University (Deland, FL) can earn a bachelor of business administration degree with a major in family business. Topics include family business dynamics; communications techniques; and strategic, estate, and succession planning. Upon graduation, students should have at least two job offers – beyond their family business.

7 – Floral management

Aspiring florists can earn a floral management degree from Mississippi State University. Floral management involves sourcing, purchasing, distributing, marketing, designing with, and selling floricultural products. Career opportunities for graduates include retailing, wholesaling, special event designing, and display gardening.

8 – Turfgrass science

I know turf management is everywhere, but it still sounds funny to me. A bachelor’s degree program in turfgrass science is even available online via Penn State World Campus. Turfgrass science covers pesticides, weed control, morphology, entomology, pathology, edaphology, and cultural systems, as well as business management and communication.

Post a comment if you know of any other wacky majors!

– Robyn Tellefsen

When we were kids, my sister and I spent a lot of time singing in the backseat of our parents’ car. Much to her chagrin, I often made up lyrics to songs I didn’t really know. But sometimes we would purposely alter song lyrics together to suit our fancy. One of my personal faves is our overhaul of Madonna’s “La Isla Bonita”: “Last night, I dreamt of a bagel” instead of “Last night, I dreamt of San Pedro….” Good times.

As much as I still enjoy giving music a makeover (changing KT Tunstall’s hit to “Suddenly I see/Why the Bee, she means so much to me” for my daughter comes to mind), I never thought these kinds of silly songs could amount to more than a few laughs – least of all a career makeover.

Enter the Careereoki contest for anyone looking to advance their current career, prepare for a new field, or get training to reenter the workforce after unemployment. In the recent contest sponsored by the Orange County School Board; Workforce Central Florida, an Orlando-area job placement organization; and a local advertising agency, more than 60 career hopefuls videotaped themselves singing about their dream career (karaoke-style, of course) to compete for the grand prize – tuition for a certificate program at an Orange County, FL, technical school.

As proven by the contest winner, Nichole Nagy, a good singing voice was not a prerequisite for entry. Finalists were chosen for their originality, creativity, and humor. And as you watch Nagy dance around with her two little kids, crooning “Bad Case of Nursing Blues” to the tune of Robert Palmer’s “Bad Case of Loving You,” you’ve got to give her points for gumption. Anyone who can put their obvious lack of vocal talent on display for the world to see and hear in order to get a good career education gets my vote.

As she put it:

“I can’t sing to save my life, but I will go ahead and try this, because I am willing to do anything to get school paid for.”

Her grand prize, worth $8,000, includes a career training scholarship, personal and resume makeovers, and a $100 gas card. Two first-place winners also won tuition help, resume makeovers, and $50 gas cards.

Now Nagy can take a break from unemployment and finally afford the nursing education she’s been dreaming about. Makes me want to sing the Eurythmics: “Sweet (career) dreams are made of these/Who am I to disagree?”

-Robyn Tellefsen

I’m taking a break from reading my friends’ “25 random things” lists on Facebook to post an education version of the 25-things phenomenon. Enjoy!

1. In career school, you can complete your education quickly and get a job even quicker.
2. Career school classes are small, offering plenty of individual attention.
3. Most career schools require a high school diploma or GED for entry.
4. Some career schools require high school transcripts, SAT/ACT scores, and an entrance exam score for entry.
5. Career school diploma or degree programs typically last about two years.
6. Less time spent in school means less money spent overall on tuition and student loans, and fewer lost salary opportunities.
7. Median annual earnings for associate degree holders were $37,990 in 2005, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
8. Career education provides relevant, job-specific training and certification.
9. Career education instructors are industry experts who have made their living in the field.
10. Career education provides preparation for a career in culinary arts, legal assisting, computer support, and more.
11. At career school, you can take customized courses instead of the usual general education requirements.
12. Career education revolves around honing skills you can use immediately after graduation.
13. Career education provides measurable goals and certain outcomes.
14. Career education offers another opportunity to get on equal academic footing with your peers as you compete for jobs.
15. Average published tuition and fees at public two-year colleges were $2,402 in 2008-2009, according to the College Board.
16. Accredited career schools may be eligible to offer federal and state financial aid.
17. You can go to career school less than half time and still be eligible for financial aid.
18. Between 2003-2004 and 2008-2009, average net tuition and fees (published price minus grant aid and tax benefits) declined for public two-year colleges, reports the College Board.
19. Credits earned through a career school diploma or certificate can often be applied to an associate or bachelor’s degree program.
20. Most career schools consult with local business leaders to tailor their curriculum to industry needs.
21. Career placement rates at reputable career schools are typically high.
22. Career education can save you from getting stuck behind a desk all day.
23. Career education offers entry into some of the fastest-growing careers in the country, such as health care and technology.
24. Career education can help you figure out what you want to do with your life.
25. Pursuing career-focused education is a great way to launch a new career.

-Robyn Tellefsen

We can’t all be athletes. Even if we have the opportunity to learn, we may not have the athletic ability to make the lessons stick. Judging by the hours of backyard wiffleball I played with my dad, for example, I should have been the shining star of Little League. Unfortunately, hand-eye coordination is a prerequisite for success in baseball (and most other sports involving a ball, for that matter), which kept me squarely out of the game. Like I said, we can’t all be athletes. (I later found my niche in swimming, so don’t feel too sorry for me.)

I’ve already written about some behind-the-scenes sports careers for lovers of the game. But there are other, lesser-known niches available for those who, like me, won’t be picking up a bat and ball anytime soon. Give these careers a test run:

Sport psychologist
Yes, sport psychology is a real science. Sport psychologists help athletes use psychological principles to achieve optimal mental health and improve performance, and they also help clients understand how physical activity affects psychological development, health, and well-being throughout life.

Sport psychologists typically have a doctoral degree in clinical or counseling psychology, with a significant proportion of coursework in sport psychology and related sport sciences. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), median annual earnings of clinical and counseling psychologists were $62,210 in May 2007.

Sports statistician
All those sports stats you’ve got memorized had to come from someone’s calculations. That’s the main job of sports statisticians – to collect and validate data from games. They may also be responsible for identifying newsworthy items of statistical interest for exploratory data analysis.

A bachelor’s degree in statistics, computer science, or math is helpful, but not necessarily required for entry into the field. Unfortunately, most careers in sports statistics are limited to part-time work, according to the American Statistical Association, and generally pay $50 to $100 per game. The best way to get your start is to volunteer your services to a local school team.

Sports lawyer
Sports law doesn’t always involve a scandal. Sports lawyers specialize in issues of antitrust, federal disability discrimination, intellectual property, and labor laws for amateur and professional sports. They often spend a good deal of time in business planning and contract negotiation.

Most lawyers need a bachelor’s degree, a law degree, and a passing score on the bar exam in order to practice, and sports lawyers are no exception. According to the BLS, in May 2007, median annual earnings of lawyers were $106,120.

If you want to keep your hand in the game (and off the field!), play to your strengths – stick to a sport-themed career.

OK, it’s still October, but as any TV junkie will tell you, November sweeps is when all your favorite shows start to get really good. And they’ve already started setting the scene. Can you believe House kissed Cuddy on “House”? Or that Sylar saved Peter on “Heroes”? Or that Peggy told Pete she had his child on “Mad Men”?!

Sorry, I’m getting ahead of myself, self-proclaimed TV junkie that I am. What I really want to convey in this post, is that it is possible to learn something about various careers by how they are portrayed on TV.

> Interested in starting a “Law & Order” career? Get the facts of the case here.

> Find out why changing careers is like changing TV seasons in this classic post.

> What is up with the portrayal of nurses on TV? Get a behind the scenes look at this fulfilling career that doesn’t (necessarily) require love affairs with hot doctors.

> In honor of “24″ finally coming back, in short movie form, check out this post on gathering career intelligence, Jack Bauer-style.

Go pop some popcorn and get surfing!

Have you learned anything about your current or future career on TV?