My first year at Elizabethtown College was rough, but I came into my sophomore year with much more understanding. When I got the invitation to the Sophomore Year Experience dinner, I accepted without knowing exactly what I was getting myself into.
The KAV was set up on Thursday, Sept. 11 with unmarked tables. There was one reserved spot at each table for a faculty member. Brian Newsome, assistant dean for general education and assessment and associate professor of history, started off the evening. After dinner, he introduced Reverend Tracy Sadd, chaplain, director of religious life and executive director for ethical leadership and purposeful life work and Jean-Paul Benowitz, director of student transition programs and assistant director of academic advising, and himself, as the co-directors of the Sophomore Year Experience.
The speaker for the evening was E. Fletcher McClellan, dean of faculty. He provided a fresh take for sophomores about their education at Etown. He went in-depth about how to have a successful sophomore year. Tips included locking in a desired field of study, exploring study abroad programs and finding a faculty member at Etown to connect with for the upcoming years.
In some ways, I couldn’t help but feel that this was an apology to students who did not find that the first-year programs prepared them in any way for the year. An apology is not a bad thing, but possibly Etown is realizing that things don’t always go as planned, and students often need more encouragement along the way. Personally, the dinner gave me a fresh look at my time here at Etown and provided a way to leave last year’s failures in the past.
We were given a booklet, the Compass, which Benowitz put together. The booklet is useful for breaking down students’ sophomore years and their college careers in general. During my first year at Etown, I was confused about how the Core program worked. The Compass clearly lays out all the requirements of the Core and makes it seem much simpler. The Compass also provides information about getting a senior class member as a mentor, if desired. Lastly, and I think most importantly, at the end of the Compass, there are two major decision sheets.
Some people may laugh and say that a sophomore should have their mind made up by now, but I feel that is very untrue. The whole point of McClellan’s speech was about taking a second look at your education and making sure to get the most out of it. Possibly, a change of major would be a wise decision for some unhappy students. In my experience, picking up a business minor was one of the proudest decisions that I’ve made during my time at Etown so far.
A junior year experience could be taking this a bit far, though. As far as I know, there isn’t such a program in the works. I would be shocked if there ever would be. I felt that the Sophomore Year Experience program was a plea to give Etown another try if things didn’t work out during the first year. Look at new opportunities, new majors and give yourself time to explore.
All in all, the Sophomore Year Experience dinner was a successful event. I have heard many positive reviews from my peers, particularly noting McClellan’s speech. A second year of college is not a year to sink into a routine, but rather to take a second look at where you’re headed during your college years. In light of the Sophomore Year Experience Dinner, I have had a refreshing of my view of Etown, seeing that the faculty have not given up on helping me find the correct path and general direction for my life and career.
