Newman University will implement a personalized, guided college experience for all undergraduate students starting fall 2020.
As a university, Newman strives to stay ahead of the wants and needs of our current and potential students. Through this effort, Newman has created an exclusive student success and support system, which uniquely empowers Newman students to soar.
The program has been named Navigator and will serve as each student’s GPS — Guide to Personal Success — throughout their college journey.
Navigator will be implemented in fall 2020 for all undergraduate students. The system will be intentional about providing students with a personalized career path, leadership development opportunities, hands-on learning and a dedicated support team.
Professor of Communication Audrey Hane and new Dean of Arts and Sciences Lori Steiner have been leading the initiative, spending hours researching and planning how Newman can best serve students. The model came to fruition through the support and input of many staff and faculty members.
Hane said, “The goal of the program is to unite the Newman community in a process of creating and implementing student experiences that reflect our mission and prepare students to be effective professionals and citizens. Having clearly defined experiences will attract students to Newman as they will know that they will be supported as they engage in hands-on learning and leadership training as part of their personalized career development.”
Here is a look at the four components of the Navigator model:
- The personalized career path ensures students meet their desired real-world career goals with the support of a success coach, a customized career plan, a career center, career shadowing and/or internships and one-on-one technical training for resume writing and job interviewing and more.
- Leadership development will equip students with the authentic leadership skill development needed to exercise meaningful and positive influence in an increasingly complex world. Leadership experiences will be available on and off-campus.
- Hands-on learning prepares students to address complex problems or societal issues in a rapidly changing world where making sound decisions is becoming more challenging. Newman’s innovative curriculum integrates an interdisciplinary approach and active learning, infused with a focus on nurturing the whole person to seek truth, meaning and purpose.
- A dedicated support team provides students with personal and academic guidance and encouragement to help build confidence and produce desired outcomes. The team features faculty or staff mentors to help students transition to Newman, peer mentors to help navigate college experiences and an enrollment advisor who will develop a degree plan personally tailored to each individual student.
Each student will have a team of mentors and supporters focused on their successful college and career journey.
Newman has found its pre-existing strengths to lie in all four elements of Navigator but is working toward fine-tuning the approach to make each experience achievable for all students.
“Four teams, one team for each element of the program, are working on identifying student experiences that further define the program,” said Steiner. “The teams consist of a broad representation of faculty and staff. Teams will identify a set of student experiences that we will offer to most students if not all. Navigator will continue to evolve and grow over time.”
Find more information Here.
