Mentor Team and Their Contact Information

Freshman Symposium 2012

Mentor team and their contact information:

Catherine R. Barber – Assistant Professor, School of Education713-525-3830 (o); 281-650-8252 (c);

Lisa Foxworth – Testing Coordinator, Career Services and Testing Center**

Barrett Lauer – Senior, Business****

Small group classroom location:

Purpose of the course:

Texts:

Freshman Symposium reader (FSR)
The Basilian Tradition (posted on Blackboard under Course Documents)
Possible additional readings introduced by mentor team

Course and Learning Outcomes:

Overview and Objectives of the course:

The Freshman Symposium is a course designed to introduce our first-year students to the University of St. Thomas and to the value of a Catholic and liberal arts education both personally and professionally. In this course, students will learn about UST’s commitment to educating leaders of faith and character while stressing the importance of ethical leadership, critical thinking, effective communication and professional success.
Students will be assigned to their small groups based on their projected majors. Each small group will be led by a three-person mentor team, including one faculty mentor, one staff mentor, and one student mentor. The course will begin the week of Orientation and then meet on Thursdays from 12:30 - 2 during the fall semester. The last class date for Freshman Symposium is November 8th.
The classes will offer large group sessions with the entire freshman class and smaller classroom sessions. The large group sessions will be held in Jones Hall with the entire freshman class and will feature a speaker or panel of speakers who will highlight a central theme of our mission statement. Small group sessions will be held in your designated classroom and will be led by your three-person mentor team. The small group sessions will encourage students to explore how the UST mission’s themes may be applied to their own lives.
Per the core curriculum requirements, Freshman Symposium is a required course that all incoming freshmen must enroll in and successfully complete during their first semester at UST. Students may not drop the course.

Student Assignment Table

Appraisal / Task
Selected Assignments over major topics (30% of grade)
Objectives:
UST Mission
Liberal Arts Education
History of the Basilians
Catholic Intellectual Tradition
Faith and Reason
Critical Thinking /

Liberal arts education reflection paper
Faith and Reason photography montage
Critical thinking group project

Personal Success Plan (20% of grade)
Objective: Communication and Professional Success /

MBTI – take the test
MBTI – Attend the workshop
Attend roundtable or Invest in Success Workshop
Attend Major Fair
Write the paper/presentation

Leadership (10% of grade)
Objective: Leadership /

Attend movie night
“What it means to be a leader”assignment

Final Exam (30% of grade) /

Take the final over all topics

Small Scores for Small Tasks (10% of grade) / Do at least TWO of the following:

Service project (with your mentor team)
An additional roundtable or Invest in Success Workshop
Participating in transition to college study
Participating in Collegiate Learning Assessment
Completing the plagiarism tutorial online
Other events suggested by your mentor team

Attendance /

Required attendance for all small group sessions, large group sessions and movie night

Assignments and Final

Overview of class and chapter assignments:

Exit reflection cards (due on various dates)

At the end of most small group sessions, students will be asked to reflect on the topic presented in the paired large group - small group sessions. Students will be asked to complete the exit cards and hand them back to their mentor team. Students will be given back all of their completed cards at the end of class October 18th to help them in creating their Personal Success Plan projects.

Liberal Arts education reflection paper (due 8/30)

This assignment will focus on the reading on Liberal Arts education, which identifies 10 characteristics of a liberally educated person. Students will choose one of these characteristics (the one that they consider most important) and write a 2-3 page, double-spaced paper on this characteristic, including an explanation of why they chose it, an example of a person who embodies this characteristic, and a description of how this characteristic has been connected to the person’s success (broadly defined). The person who is described in the paper may be a person whom the student knows or a famous person.

Faith and Reason photography montage (due 9/13)

Students will be assigned to partners. Partner teams will photograph images around campus that capture the concepts of “faith,” “reason,” and the integration of the two. Students will arrange these photographs in a montage (digital or still) that depicts the relationship between faith and reason. Each team will provide a brief oral presentation explaining their montage.

Leadership assignments (movie and short assignment; due 9/20)

On the evening of September 14th, the entire freshman class will view a film that addresses leadership issues.

In addition to watching the film and reading the leadership chapter(s), students also will be required to prepare their own 2-minute podcast on our class Blackboard site OR write a short paper that describes what it means to be a leader today. The assignment is due at the beginning of class 9/20.

Students who cannot attend the 9/14 session must make arrangements with their mentor team to complete an alternative assignment.

Critical Thinking group project (due 10/4)

Students will be put into one of three groups. Groups will read and respond to a scenario that requires application of the critical thinking skills described in the reading. Groups will identify at least three pros and at least three cons of various courses of action in this scenario. Groups will then write a memo (in paper or PowerPoint format, depending on the team’s preference) that evaluates the pros and cons and recommends a specific course of action. Students will be required to give a self-assessment score and a peer-assessment score, with regard to their group participation and effort.

Professional Success assignments (due on various dates)

Students are required to do several activities and assignments that reflect issues related to professional success. Each of these activities/assignments will build on one another and will be incorporated into your final project.

Students must first take the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator(MBTI) personality test online. Instructions for completing the test are available on Blackboard under Course Documents. The MBTI will be offered to our students August 15th through September 13th. The test takes only between 20 – 30 minutes to complete.
Students need to attend a MBTI workshop to learn about the results of their test. The workshops will be held twice a week from August 27th through September 24th. A schedule of available workshop dates is available on Blackboard with sign-up options. Students must (1) take the MBTI before attending a workshop and (2) sign up for the workshop on Blackboard before attending. Each session has limited seating. Please take the test early and attend the workshop early to avoid the inevitable last minute rush of panicked students trying to schedule their workshop.
You must attend one Invest-in-Success Roundtable discussion or a workshop sponsored by the Mendenhall Achievement Center. The Roundtable discussions are offered the first two weeks of the semester and the workshops are available through October 18th. Please plan on attending earlier rather than later as spaces are limited and available on a first-come, first serve basis. Please make sure you sign in to whichever section you attend in order to receive credit for this assignment.
Attend the Major Fair as part of the class session on October 4th. Students should visit at least two tables to gather information about potential majors and/or minors.

Overview of Final Product: Personal Success Plan (due 10/25)

The final project will serve as a capstone experience that should reflect what you learned about UST, what you learned about yourself, and what you hope to accomplish personally, academically, professionally, and spiritually.

Each student will complete an individualized Personal Success Plan. There are two parts to this assignment. First - students should prepare a PowerPoint presentation, a song, a poem, a dramatization, a collage, or a paper to reflect what they have learned about UST, what they have learned about themselves, and what their future professional and career goals are. Second, students should prepare a very brief overview (3 minutes) of their projects that they will present to their class in the small group session scheduled on October 25th. The final product should reflect several core themes related to Freshman Symposium, including:

What do you value about your UST education?

What have you learned about UST your first semester that you think will help you succeed academically, personally, and professionally? Make sure that you address at least one of the core themes of the UST Mission Statementand Freshman Symposium (i.e., value of a liberal arts education and the Catholic Intellectual Tradition, ethical leadership, etc) as you reflect on the value of a UST education.

Note: If you have used exit cards in your class, use those to refresh your memory concerning what you found meaningful for each class session.

What have you learned about yourself?

Being successful requires, in part, that you identify your strengths and weaknesses and take steps to overcome possible obstacles to your success. Your project should reflect, in part, what you have learned about yourself. Choose at least one of the following:

What did you learn about yourself during the Invest-in-Success Roundtables and workshops?
What did you learn about yourself from the results of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)?
What did you learn about your interests through attending the Major Fair?

What are your future goals and plans, and how will you use your new knowledge about UST and yourself to accomplish them?

One goal of the Freshman Symposium is to help students clarify their personal and academic goals, both short-term and long-term. Describe your own goals, and address at least oneof the following:

What challenges will be most likely to limit your success this year? What strengths and assets do you have that will help you handle personal and academic challenges?
What obstacles do you envision next semester, and what strategies will you use to overcome these obstacles?
How will you use the information you have gained about yourself through the activities in the Symposium help you to succeed?

Final:

All students will take a 25 question multiple-choice test on November 1st. The test will be given in Jones Hall. The test will include material from the course readings. Review sheets are provided on Blackboard for the final.

Small Scores for Small Tasks:

Each student is responsible for completing at least two of the following tasks. Your mentor team will discuss each of the options with you and provide more feedback regarding which ones will be best for the goals of your particular group.

Service project – to be determined by mentor team

Attending an additional roundtable or Invest-in-Success workshop

Participating in transition to college study

Participating in Collegiate Learning Assessment

Completing plagiarism tutorial online

Other events chosen by mentor team

Student appraisal:

Attendance – students may lose up to 2 points per absence, at the faculty mentor’s discretion
Selected assignments over major topics (30 points)
Leadership assignment (10 points)
Project: Personal Success Plan (20 points)
Final = 30 points
Small tasks for small points (10 points)

Grading standards:

A = 100 – 94; A- = 93 – 90;

B+ = 89 – 87; B = 86 – 84; B- = 83 – 80;

C+ = 79 – 77; C = 76 – 74; C- = 73 – 70;

D+ = 69 – 67; D = 66 – 64; D- = 63 – 60; F=anything below 59 points

Blackboard:

The course will be supported by Blackboard. Please make sure that you have access to the Blackboard site at the beginning of the semester and check it often for updates from your mentor team.

Calendar of Events (subject to change)

Date / Time / Location / Topic / Group
8/17 / 9:00 -10:15
10:30 -11:00
11:00-11:30
11:45 – 1:00
1:10 – 2:00
2:10 – 3:00 / Chapel
Jones Hall
Jones Hall
Malloy classrooms
Jones Hall
Classrooms / Freshman Class mass - Father Mike
Purpose of Freshman Symposium -Dr. Ivany
The Liberal Art Tradition - Student panel
Pick up box lunches - Meet your team
What I wish I knew as a Freshman - Panel
Meet your mentor team -Ice cream social / Large group
Large group
Large group
Small group
Large group
Small group
8/23 / 12:30 – 2:00 / Classrooms / Syllabus overview
Review Liberal Arts reading/Mission Statement
Session Evaluation 1
Exit reflection card 1
Assignment 1 given: Liberal Arts Education reflection paper / Small group
8/30 / 12:30 – 2:00 / Jones Hall
Classrooms / History of the Basilian Fathers – Fr Mike
The Catholic Intellectual Tradition -Fr Pilsner
Faith and Reason
Lunch
Small group discussion
Assignment 1 due / Large group followed by small group
9/6 / 12:30 – 2:00 / Classrooms / Review CIT/Basilians/Faith and Reason
Session Evaluation 2
Exit reflection card 2
Assignment 2 given: Faith and Reason photography montage / Small Group
9/13 / 12:30 – 2:00 / Jones Hall
Classrooms / Freshman Senator Presentations (30 min.)
Leadership readings
Session Evaluation 3
Exit reflection card 3
Assignment 2 due
Assignment 3 given: Leadership assignment / Large group followed by small group
9/14 / Evening TBA / TBA / Leadership theme – movie night / Large group
9/20 / 12:30 – 2:00 / Jones Hall
Classrooms / Critical ThinkingFr. Anthony (25 minutes)
Lunch
Small group discussion
Assignment 3 due / Large group followed by small group
9/27 / 12:30 – 2:00 / Classrooms / Review Critical Thinking readings
Session evaluation 4
Exit reflection card 4
Assignment 4 given: Critical Thinking group project / Small group
10/4 / 12:30 – 2:00 / Classrooms
Major Fair / “Choosing a Major” readings
Your results of the MBTI (Staff mentor leads)
Attending Major Fair – we will split the 17 sections so that half of the sections go to Major Fair from 12:30 – 1:15 and other half of the sections go from 1:15 -1:45.
Students will need to pick up a token or a receipt to show that they attended
Session Evaluation 5
Exit reflection card 5
Discuss Personal Success Plan project
Assignment 4 due / Small group
10/11 / 12:30 – 2:00 / Jones Hall / Professional Success – Alumni Panel / Large group
10/18 / 12:30 – 2:00 / Classrooms / Communication reading
Session Evaluation 6
Exit reflection card 6
Hand back all reflection cards to students / Small group
10/25 / 12:30 – 2:00 / Classrooms / Personal Success Plan and presentation due
Final evaluation of course / Small group
11/1 / 12:30 – 2:00 / Jones Hall / Final Exam / Large group
11/8 / 12:30 – 2:00 / TBA / Commissioning Ceremony / Large group

Learning Outcomes, Activities and Assignments

Learning Outcomes / Topic / Reading / Date Presented / Activity and leader / Assessment (3 by faculty mentors)
Identify and describe the mission of UST / UST Mission / UST Mission / August 17 (LG) / Various (All) / None
Identify and describe the hallmarks or a liberal arts education / The Liberal Art Tradition / Only Connect: The goals of a liberal education / August 17 (LG)
August 23 (SG) / Discussion (CB) / Reflection paper
(Due 8/30)
Identify and describe the basic tenets of the Catholic Intellectual Tradition, including the integration of faith and reason / The Catholic Intellectual Tradition / The CIT: What is it? Why should I care? / August 30 (LG) / Discussion (All) / Faith and Reason Photo montage
(Due 9/13)
Faith and Reason / Faith and Reason / Sept. 6 (SG) / Labyrinth and discussion (BL)
Describe the history and contributions of the Basilian Fathers / The Basilian Tradition / The Basilian Tradition in Education / August 30 (LG)
Sept. 6 (SG) / Labyrinth and discussion (as above) / None
List qualities of ethical leadership / Leadership / Surprising Facts About Leaders; Assessing Your LeadershipTendencies… / Sept. 13 (LG and SG) / Freshman Senator Election
Discussion (LF) / “What it means to be a leader” assignment
(Due 9/20)
Identify steps in the process of Critical Thinking / Critical Thinking / What is Critical Thinking / Sept. 20 (LG)
Sept. 27 (SG) / Discussion (CB) / Group project
(Due 10/4)
Determine the qualities and skills required for professional success / Professional Success / Learning Styles, Majors and Careers / October 4 (SG)
October 11 (LG) / Major Fair
MBTI results (LF) / None
Recognize the characteristics of effective oral and written communication skills / Communi-cation / Effective Writing / October 18
October 25 / Discussion (BL)
Personal Success Plan presenta-tion
(All) / Personal Success Plan and paper and presentation
(Due 10/25)

LG – Large Group SG – Small Group

Invest in Success Workshop Series
Hosted by the Offices of the Mendenhall Achievement Center
Topic / Workshop Title / Date, Time, Location
Success / Invest in Success Roundtable Discussion / Wednesday, Aug 29 – 4:00-5:00 PM
Ahern, Crooker
Success / Invest in Success Roundtable Discussion / Tuesday, Sep 4 – 1:00 – 2:00 PM
Ahern, Crooker
Success / Starting the Semester off Right – Tips for Student Success / Thursday, Aug 30 – 4:30-5:30 PM
Council of Clubs Room, Crooker
Note Taking / Note This: Creating Notes That Work / Tuesday, Sep 11 – 12:30-1:30 PM
Tutorial Services Center, Crooker
Major / College Roadmap – Your Path to Choosing the Right Major / Wednesday, Sep 12 – 4:30-5:15 PM
Career Services Center, Crooker
Success / How to Get Along with your Professors and Mentors / Thursday, Sep 13 – 4:30-5:30 PM
Michael Levitt Room, Crooker
Memory and Concentration / Adjust the Focus: Sharpen your Attention / Tuesday, Sep 18 – 12:30-1:30 PM
Michael Levitt Room, Crooker
Learning Styles / Break Down Your Brain: Become the Expert on How YOU Learn / Wednesday, Sep 19 – 3:00-4:30pm Academic Advising Center, Crooker
Success / Navigating the College Culture: Hollywood vs. Real Life / Thursday, Sep 27 – 4:30-5:30 PM
Council of Clubs Room, Crooker
Testing / Making the Grade: Tips for Testing / Tuesday, Oct 2 – 12:30-1:30 PM
Tutorial Services Center, Crooker
Learning Styles / Break Down Your Brain: Become the Expert on How YOU Learn / Monday, Oct 8 – 3:00-4:30pm Academic Advising Center, Crooker
Time Management / Controlling the Clock: Time Management / Tuesday, Oct 9 – 12:30-1:30 PM
Michael Levitt Room, Crooker
Writing Skills / How to Compose a Strong Thesis Statement / Tuesday, Oct 9 – 12:30-1:30 PM
Tutorial Services Center, Crooker
Major / College Roadmap – Your Path to Choosing the Right Major / Thursday, Oct 11 – 4:00-4:45 PM
Career Services Center, Crooker
Success / Starting Strong after Midterms – Tips for Student Success / Thursday, Oct 18 – 4:30-5:30 PM
Michael Levitt Room, Crooker

Invest in Success Workshop Series – Workshop Descriptions