Holtzman-CSA & Early Start

Activites:
-Finish resource wall, folders, and binder
-Attend Early Start Events
-Shop and make Study packs 

Reflection:
This week has been really great and as always I love my experience and learn so much each time I walk into the office.  I have spent this week working on creating study packs for all 72 participants to be handed out at our final dinner/closing on August 1st.  The packs are filled snacks/treats, a pen, highlither, pencil and note cards and I will be working on writing a little note with some study tips and wishing them luck on finals for each student.  When I look at the calendar and see that the month has flown by and there are only a few days left I pinch myself because I don't believe it is real, Early Start is over!

Unfortunately we (Early Start) experienced unexpected as there were consistently roughly 30 participants low attendance at some events and in attempts to gain more participation the location of the events moved from across the campus to right down stairs on the 1st floor lobby of the residence hall where they live, this did not help.  It is also surprising and unexpected that with all the provided meals people are still not attending the events. We have knocked on doors and I have processed how and why low attendance could occur when so much is done for the students, all they have to do is come down stairs.  I have concluded that they had such a great time getting to know each other and have gotten so close that they were taking the opportunities to further connect and become closer.

Through all the planning teams I have been apart of and sometimes there is so much planning that goes into accomplishing a goal and the potential miss details can occur, also pulling from the saying "too many cooks in the kitchen spoil the pot" however I feel that the team in charge of Early Start and the members of the CSA was the perfect makeup to to execute this program with ease and success. No details were overlooked, and as opinions came in and out a direction was set and everyone was on board.  I really respect everyone that I have gotten to know and work with in this sense. 

I think this experience has opened my eyes to a world of large scale programing as the CSA gears up for a busy year, also working with Dr. B and Jackie Mullen has been really rewarding to learn from both strong women in Academic and Student Affairs. I have spent some time talking to Amelia Treptow (recent grad and new professional) about her experience and have gained advice from all of them, I appreciate each of them and their time spent mentoring me through this experience. 

-Kimone