Since I have been at The U I have dealt and interacted mostly with first time freshmen and high school students. Every Wednesday, the university goes and sets up a table/booth at Salt Lake Community College to answer transfer questions and help with some general academic advising. Salt Lake Community College serves the Salt Lake City area and has an enrollment around 33,000 students.
I was not much help with the academic advising side of the trip but I did enjoy talking with some of the students and hearing their different backgrounds. It was a much more diverse population with a wide array of backgrounds and situations. There was a large number of students with children and families along with students who were in their thirties and forties. The thing that amazed me the most with these students are the number of them that were just looking for a degree no matter what field. When asked what they were interested in doing most would respond with whatever I can do to finish the quickest. Many of the students were already working full time and were simply told they needed a degree to move up in their organization. In some ways I understand their situations but I also feel like if someone is going to take the time to go to college they should get a degree that will be more useful to them. Many were very close-minded and just saw the next step up in their organization and knew all they needed was a college diploma to get to that point. They did not consider the possibilities beyond that next step.
I have also been working with one of the admissions counselors with an alumni project he is working on in Texas and California. There are hundreds of college fairs in each state and there is no physical way that a counselor can get to all of the events. So, he has been organizing some alumni who are willing to work tables and some of these fairs.
P.S. This picture has be Photoshoped/doctored or something.... it is not this nice.
JM,
ReplyDeleteI'm missing your photo again, but I am sure it is wonderful. Your blog post brings up an interesting challenge. How do we work with students who only want to "get in and get out?" This has to be something a practitioner can address. Many students work, support families, and don't have the luxury of taking coursework for "fun" (or at least they don't see it that way). Programming for these individuals can be just as challenging as programming for first-year students. I am so glad to see that you are recognizing the vast difference among students. This will vary wherever you go. It sounds like you are having a wonderful experience. Enjoy your last few weeks and travel home safely.
Best,
Dr. H