Sophomore January Program
(Classes begin on Tuesday, January 20th, 2015)
REGISTRATION
The Sophomore year of college is one filled with challenges, decisions and transitions. We hope that you will join with your classmates in this new opportunity to explore ways to navigate the remainder of your Sophomore year and your college years ahead.
Featuring the popular course organized by Paul Calhoun and featuring guest lecturers and artists, “Presenting The Brand Called Me”, the goals of the Sophomore January Program are:
- To provide Sophomores the opportunity to learn and apply skills that enhance their ability to present themselves effectively in a variety of situations (including career, internship or scholarship interviews).
- To create an opportunity for focused exploration of personal beliefs, values and interpersonal styles.
- To become aware of and explore opportunities for leadership, scholarship and citizenship.
- To enhance class affinity, unity and spirit.
In addition to the non-credit mini-course, the program will include sessions with members of the Career Development Center staff, alumni speakers invited to share their stories and the opportunity to enjoy activities with your classmates in the surrounding areas.
Sample Day
| Time | Event |
| 8:00 am - 9:00 am | BREAKFAST |
| 9:30 am - 12:30 pm | Mini-Non-Credit Court, Presenting The Brand Called Me |
| 12:30 pm - 1:30 pm | LUNCH |
| 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm | Leadership Session |
| 3:30 pm - 4:00 pm | BREAK |
| 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm | Career Development Session |
| 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm | DINNER |
| 7:00 pm | Evening Excursion/Free Time |
Presenting The Brand Called Me-Mini course
The course is designed to improve your skills in presenting yourselves in a variety of situations. Training in techniques used by actors and dancers—along with practical instruction in interviewing skills, networking and personal public relations—participants will engage with artists, professors and other community professionals throughout the mini-course.
Sophomore Experience Leadership Sessions
These sessions are designed to assist you in cultivating a greater awareness of personal beliefs and values; enhance your knowledge and competence in issues of social justice and deepen your understanding of personal and civic responsibilities.
Career and Personal Assessment Sessions
Wednesday, January 14: Finding Your Path
Participants will use My Plan to take four career assessments evaluating the student's personality type, interests, skills, and values. Using these elements, participants will conduct career research to reaffirm or broaden their career goals.
Thursday, January 15: Staging Your Experiences
Participants will learn how to craft and compose a resume and cover letter in response to an opportunity. Students will use their own laptops in order to make changes in real-time. Students have until Thursday, January 15 at 11:59 PM to complete their resume and cover letter and submit to Megan Jackson.
Friday, January 16: Making the Cut
Participants will find themselves in someone else's shoes: the employer's. Using the materials submitted the evening before, students will evaluate resumes and cover letters to decide, round-by-round, which documents are the strongest, resulting in a final winner.
Saturday, January 17: Tapping into the Skidmore Network
Participants will tap into the extensive parent and alumni network through learning how to use the Career Advisor Network, as well as how to craft outreach and develop a relationship.
Participants will then create a LinkedIn profile to increase the reach of their professional network, and learn strategies for maintaining their network.
Sunday, January 18: Searching for Summer Internships
Participants will learn to navigate several internship searching research, including My CDC Account, the Liberal Arts Career Network, National Internship Connections, Career Shift, and Gale Research Directory.
Alumni Guest Speakers
Learn from Skidmore alumni stories how they made meaning of their Skidmore experience to attain their life and career goals.
Enjoy Saratoga Springs & Beyond – Excursions
Take advantage of the surrounding areas and enjoy socializing with your classmates! Tubing, bowling, movies and much, much more!