by Alyssa Nehring–Across the nation, college sophomores are experiencing the “sophomore slump.” This is a period that most second-year students go through without even recognizing it.
The sophomore slump is defined as a time of developmental confusion. Morningside College has created the Second Year Experience program to combat the sophomore slump and help students end their confusion.
The sophomore slump is a stage where second-year students often feel like the middle child on campus. Freshmen are full of excitement and are often “cared for” more than the other classes. Whereas, juniors and seniors are deep in their area of study and have created close relationships with faculty. Sophomores meanwhile are stuck somewhere between.
The Second Year Experience program is currently being piloted at Morningside by the Business, Psychology, Art, Religious Studies, Non-Profit Management, and Political Science Departments. A NetVue grant provides support and funding for a 2-year pilot program, the goal is to help sophomores answer any questions they have about their future career path and their purpose while engaging in the campus community.
Part of this program is the use of peer mentors from each department. Each peer mentor is paired up with anywhere from 2 to 5 sophomore mentees. Mentors are guides and they help to make the experience more enjoyable for sophomores. “I have been so pleased with the leadership and passion the peer mentors have shown in helping us pilot this program. We believe the Second Year Experience program events have helped our second-year students examine their purpose, engage in their major and explore potential careers – the three goals of the grant”, says Marilyn Eastman, Second Year Experience Coordinator.
The Second Year Experience has designed different events and activities to help the students fulfill each of the program’s goals. These events include Career Panels, Value Workshops, and Internship Roundtables. Nic Madsen, a peer mentor for the business department says, “The second year events are helpful because it gets the students out of the classroom and to meet future employers and exploring different career options.”
For more information about the “sophomore slump” or the Second Year Experience please feel free to contact Marilyn Eastman at eastmanm@morningside.edu – Second Year Experience Coordinator.
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