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Sophomore Fall --
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October 23, 2008
Dear Sophomores,
It's Fifth Week already?
By now you're probably in the midst of midterms, but I wanted to bring to your attention a couple of events going on this weekend, remind you that Advising Days and Registration are just around the corner, and maybe give you some ideas about how to think about choosing a major and choosing where (or whether) to go on study abroad.
This Weekend:
First of all, there are two special events this weekend to commemorate K's 50 years of study abroad. The first is a special Jama tomorrow, Friday, starting at 10:50 (a little earlier than usual). The speaker will be Dr. Josephine "Jody" Olsen, Deputy Director of the Peace Corps. Quoting from Ed Menta, Dean of the Junior Class, "I know we're always telling you to be at one event or another, but this one really IS a big deal - Study Abroad is a huge part of who we are, and the idea that we've been doing it for years is pretty incredible!" Remember that you can order a sack lunch from Sodexho, which will be waiting for you at Stetson.
On Saturday, from 2 - 3pm, there will be Study Abroad Reunions going on in the atrium of Hicks, with reunions for Spain, France, Germany, other European countries, Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Australia, and the Americas. This could be a great opportunity to "shop around" for a study abroad location.
Advising and Registration:
Advising Days are coming soon. This is also a good time to learn more about the requirements for any potential major you are considering, double-check where you stand with respect to general education requirements (a requirements self-audit can be helpful), and think about how potential study abroad programs and a potential major relate to one another or complement one another.
Majors and Study Abroad:
If there were a theme for Sophomore activities over the next few weeks, it would be "Narrowing Down."
Majors: This is a time for narrowing your choice of major down to just a few. For each of those, you may want to talk to the departmental senior advisor (DSA), department chair, or other faculty with whom you feel comfortable about the requirements and the career / grad. school options associated with a major in their field.
Study Abroad: Again, you should be narrowing your study abroad options down to a short list. Remember that study abroad interest forms for extended- and long-term programs will be due Monday, November 3rd; short-term Spring study abroad applications will be due November 17th. This is a good time to talk to students who have already studied abroad at the sites of interest to you, or to international students from those countries.
Of course, to balance this "narrowing down" you may wish to "widen" some other aspects of your college life -- get outdoors in this beautiful fall weather, meet some new friends or get to know your current friends better, participate in a new campus activity, or get off campus this weekend and explore Downtown Kalamazoo. As we enter midterm season it can be hard to maintain some balance in your life, but do try! Keeping up your mental and physical health can be one of the most important ways to support your academic work.
Good luck narrowing down, widening, or just plain moving forward through the fall quarter!
Alyce
Alyce Brady
Professor and Computer Science Program Director
Dean of the Sophomore Class
You can find more information for sophomores on the Sophomore Year web page. Go to the Sophomore Calendar for the fall quarter to see the various study abroad and major declaration activities in calendar format.