Sophomore Winter -- Important Happenings

Winter quarter is a busy one for sophomores -- here is a highlight of some of the opportunities, responsibilities, and deadlines that come up this quarter.

See the Sophomore Calendar for the winter quarter to see these activities in calendar format.

Study Abroad:

Spring study abroad students: See p. 5 of the Study Abroad Handbook for orientation dates and a variety of deadlines -- the first deadline is this Friday (participation confirmation, deposit, health history, etc.).

Long- and extended-term programs: The application deadline is January 15th, Tuesday of 2nd Week. Remember that you will also need recommendations; don't put this off to the last minute, since if a faculty member is unwilling or unable to provide a recommendation you may have to ask someone else. Finally, your academic advisor must read and sign your application, so, again, you could find yourself in a bind if you put things off to the last minute.

See the Center for Internation Programs web page for more information!

Declaration of Major:

Declaration of Major Day is Thursday of Fifth Week! If you're anxious about this, remember two things:

Many students change their major at least once during their college careers. Even more significant, many people switch careers several times during their lifetimes. (I'm only on my second career, myself, although I suppose being Acting Registrar last year might have counted as a temporary career change.) It's important to remember that employers often care more about how well you did in college, and what you got out of it, than what you majored in. Graduate schools frequently care more about your major than companies do, but even there, there is often flexibility. So, talk to some of the professors in programs that interest you, choose one, fill out the forms, and then take that deep breath!

Dr. Zaide Pixley or I will send you more specific information about Declaration of Major Day when we get a little closer to the event.

Internships/Externships:

Many students choose to do an internship or externship during the summer between their sophomore and junior years. Some of you may also already be looking ahead to your SIP. The Discovery Externship Catalog will be released later in the Winter Quarter. The Center for Career Development (CCD) will host resume-writing workshops and one-on-one peer counseling with career advisors, followed by externship application workshops. The externship program is a great opportunity, developed specifically for K students.

See the Center for Career Development web page for more information on our award-winning externship program, as well as internships, and other programs sponsored by the CCD.

Whew! There's a lot going on this quarter, and that doesn't even include your classes and extra-curricular activities! So, whenever you can, make sure you get enough sleep, eat healthy (at least most of the time! ), support your friends, make use of the campus resources available to you, and get out and enjoy a little bit of winter weather. Here's to a healthy, productive, busy quarter!

Alyce

Alyce Brady

Alyce Brady
Professor of Computer Science
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 winter quarter to see the various study abroad, career development, and major declaration activities in calendar format.