A new remedy for the ‘sophomore slump’

Written by Rachel Strobel Friday, 26 February 2010 08:00

The sophomore slump can creep up on the brightest and most motivated of students. Freshman year is in the rearview mirror, and most students’ college careers are nearing the halfway mark. For some, finding their place on campus is not always the easiest thing to do.

The NDSU Sophomore Year Experience Committee is hosting an event called ReDiscover U on March 3 from noon to 3 p.m. to help all students find their place on campus.

The NDSU Sophomore Year Experience Committee has planned an event to aid these students in finding their place. ReDiscover U will take place March 3, from noon to 3 p.m. in the Memorial Union Great Plains Ballroom.

At ReDiscover U, students at all levels, not just sophomores, will be able to gain knowledge on all majors, learn studying techniques for exams, find new ways to get involved on campus, and explore financial options available.

Steve Winfrey, the director of the Memorial Union and chair of the Sophomore Year Experience Committee, call this event the “one-stop-shop for succeeding in college.”

“This event brings all of NDSU’s campus resources into one location to serve students the most effective way possible,” Winfrey said.

These resources include advisors from many colleges across campus, registration and records to print course material, and the Office of Financial Services on site to answer any question regarding financial aid, working on campus or scholarships.

This is the first year that NDSU has had an event like this. The event’s success will be monitored following its debut.

“The success of the program will be monitored by online assessments provided to attendees, program organizers and the colleges and departments providing services at the event,” Winfrey said.  

A lot of time was also spent preceding the event to see how sophomore students needed guidance. The committee first did a literature review on sophomore needs, followed by working with a consultant who created a program specifically for sophomore students at another college. The committee also met with focus groups of current sophomore students at NDSU.

Karla Thoennes, the senior associate director of Residence Life, says this feedback helped the committee understand what students needed assistance with.

“We had already been planning to have a ReDiscover U event, but the feedback from these students helped focus on what should be offered at the event,” Thoennes said.

Winfrey hopes that this event will not only help undecided students plan out the rest of their college career, but also give them hope in their university.

“We want students to feel more connected, certain of the future career choice, and walk away from the event feeling much more confident about why they chose NDSU as the “Institution of Choice” like so many others,” Winfrey said.