Sophomore Scholars in Residence Learning Outcomes

The SSIR program is designed as a year-long living-learning program that blends a rigorous academic experience with co-curricular activities and the residential experience. During the Fall semester, students take one of the courses offered in the program, each of which focuses on a different thematic area. By the end of the Fall semester, students develop a capstone project proposal that they will pursue in the spring. Then, during the Spring semester, students work in faculty-supervised groups to complete their capstone projects, which culminate with a capstone presentation delivered to interested members of the University community.

There are five goals for the Sophomore Scholars in Residence program:

  1. To promote academic excellence, critical thinking, and creativity through service, experimental, and innovative curricular and co-curricular activities both on and off campus;
  2. To foster the development of a supportive and inclusive community of diverse students, faculty and staff through sharing of common experiences in the living environment, field, seminars, and in the classroom;
  3. To develop students' communication skills, team-building skills and leadership skills through students teaching each other and working together on team projects;
  4. To create an environment that enhances student development as life-long leaders, citizens, scholars and professionals; and
  5. To change the dominant culture of undergraduate education by creating an overall experience that can be seen as a cumulative effort among faculty members and students to build a culture of collaboration, new knowledge, and innovation.

In order to accomplish those goals, six learning outcomes were developed for the Sophomore Scholars in Residence program. Through the year-long experience students will be able to demonstrate:

  1. In-depth knowledge and understanding within the themed discipline
  2. The ability to identify and apply knowledge and techniques to solve problems critically and to create a mode of inquiry
  3. Effective communication skills with faculty, peers, and other professionals
  4. The capacity for self-reflection and self-awareness that can lead to greater independence and personal self direction
  5. The ability to interact with peers and engage them in the process of learning as part of a team approach
  6. Respect for others, honesty, a consistently good work ethic, positive attitude, full participation and responsibility in the education process as well as in the living community