CLIMBING: Second Year Experiential Learning
CLIMBING: Second Year Experiential Learning Program was a multi-faceted experiential learning program for second-year students in which participants engaged in meaningful, high-impact activities related to their personal interests supported by faculty, staff, and peers. Aiming to increase second-year retention while enhancing student experiences and promoting co-curricular development, the program provided students with faculty and peer mentors, a cohort/support team, personal/professional development workshops, financial literacy workshops, and more. Students were able to choose a track aligned with their personal interest, joining other students in a cohort and matching with a mentor.
The tracks for the initial phase of the program included:
Research, Inquiry, and Scholarship: Focusing on developing novice researchers to engage in student-led research and inquiry projects, building a relationship with a faculty mentor, while developing project management, leadership, research, and presentation skills.
Service-Learning: Utilizing existing models of service-learning through the Office of Student Engagement, students participated in and meaningfully reflected on service-learning opportunities and experiences, working with community partners and faculty and staff mentors.
Sustainability: Bringing together key faculty and students from all colleges, this track allowed students to work with staff and faculty mentors to explore how their future careers and what they were currently learning in class could promote sustainability.
After assessing the first two years of the program, the team quickly realized that one of the most powerful learning components of the experience was the guided self-reflection and the opportunity for students to share their stories. They created Share the Climb: A Storytelling Project, inviting students, faculty, and staff to share their own stories and critically and openly listen to the stories of others.
Workshops required by all participants included:
- Passion and Focus
- Strengths, Values, and Needs
- A Personal Vision and Mission
- Life Mapping
- Goal Setting
- Altruistic Purpose
- Service Project
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Scholarly CommonsShare the Climb: A Storytelling Experience |
Student Learning Outcomes and Performance Indicators Analysis
- Analysis of artifacts, including student reflections and project proposal applications, demonstrated a high level of confidence in communicating their goals, mission, vision, and values across all submissions.
- Compared to a control group of non-participating students with similar demographic and program indicators, participants in the CLIMBING program consistently performed at the same level or above their peers
Wellbeing Assessment
A modified version of the Wake Forest Wellbeing Assessment was utilized to help develop an understanding of the program’s effect on participants’ overall sense of belonging, satisfaction with their experience, and wellbeing. Participants took the assessment prior to the start of the program and again at the end of the program, with a 90% response rate.
- Of respondents, 95% indicated an increased sense of wellbeing and increased satisfaction with the experience at the institution on one or more scales.
- 100% of respondents noted an increased sense of fit on one or more scales.
In addition to comparing pre- and post-outcomes for participants, a control population of non-participants were surveyed. Compared to participants, non-participants showed lower rates of satisfaction, similar sense of wellbeing, and lower rates of sense of fit.
