Longwood is making post-graduate success an emphasis over the next five years.
This spring, a team of university leaders from across divisions announced that a cadre of curricular and programmatic additions and enhancements called “Post-Graduate Success Initiative” would make up the university’s next Quality Enhancement Plan. A Quality Enhancement Plan is part of reaffirmation of accreditation for the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), a process that occurs once every ten years.
Longwood’s Post-Graduate Success Initiative (PGSI) will empower students to choose and complete curricular and co-curricular experiences that are linked to post-graduate success. A “Consider Life Design” framework will guide student experiences in PGSI during their first year at Longwood, and then a second set of PGSI programs will be available to upperclassmen, with the theme “Practice Career Everywhere”.
The earlier students start thinking intentionally about designing their life and academic career to reach their post-graduate goals, the more likely they are to stay in college and graduate on time ready for success.”
Dr. Sarai Blincoe, department chair and associate professor of psychology, and leader of the team that developed the QEP Tweet This
“The idea is to not only have students exposed to experiences that will help set them up for success after graduation, but to put them in a position where they are actively designing a path through Longwood with post-graduate success in mind,” said Dr. Sarai Blincoe, department chair and associate professor of psychology, and leader of the team that developed the QEP. “The earlier students start thinking intentionally about designing their life and academic career to reach their post-graduate goals, the more likely they are to stay in college and graduate on time ready for success.”
To “Consider Life Design” is to use designer mindsets like curiosity, collaboration, and storytelling to purposefully craft a meaningful career and life. Students will encounter life design ideas and activities throughout their first year at Longwood, in programs like student success coaching, first-year advising, and the recently piloted Beginning Our New Direction (BOND) program, which helps students from historically underrepresented groups to create community and transition to college.
To “Practice Career Everywhere” is to recognize that career education is everyone’s business, a collective and communal effort to prepare students for a new world of work. With the addition of an alumni-supported micro-internship program and a Longwood graduate program immersion day, students will have new opportunities to practice career skills. Programming will also expand in existing campus events like Symposium Day and the Research and Creative Inquiry Showcase, to help students tell their Longwood professional development story to potential employers.
Longwood will begin to roll out the first phases of several new programs, including graduate immersion day and first-year advising, in fall 2024.
Longwood’s Quality Enhancement Plan team is led by Blincoe, Quincy Goodine, associate director of multicultural affairs and leadership development, and Waleed Ahmed, associate director of enrollment management and student success.
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