Career/Major Exploration

The Faculty Mentor Program at Gordon State College pairs first-year students (students under 30 credit hours) with faculty in the student's major area/area of focus. Faculty mentors act as part of the student's success team. They provide professional and career guidance and encouragement and help connect students with campus resources. All tenure-track faculty members serve as faculty members. Faculty mentors act to provide services and support that complement the services offered by GSC's professional academic advisors.

A team formed between Advising, Orientation, and Career Services that will continue to work with the undecided student population. We created a plan to intervene early with undecided students to connect them with resources to help them make a purposeful choice. The plan begins at orientation with a breakout session designed to get undecided students thinking about making a purposeful choice and continues once the semester begins with strategic talking points during advising appointments.

The International Center facilitates and coordinates international academic study, research, and internship opportunities for all Georgia College students, as well as partnerships and exchanges with institutions abroad. Students may study abroad on short-term programs - often with faculty in their majors - or through semester or even academic year-long programs at major universities throughout the world. Study Abroad/Study Away programs are one of the optional transformative learning experiences available in GC Journeys.

The Career Planning Milestones is the second embedded Transformative Learning Experience. To “Complete Your Journey:” Career Planning Milestones, students need to meet the Career Planning Milestones for each year The Career Center will track students’ completion of career planning activities.

The First Year Experience is one of three embedded experiences that is built into the GC curriculum. To “Complete your journey,” for First Year Experience, students need to complete their GCSU 0001 (FYAS) and GC1Y courses.

Redesign content and format to improve transition experience for students and increase student success and retention

Expand the use of Student Lingo as a course supplement/academic resource for students beyond the PRSP curriculum.

A first-year experience course, using high impact practices.

The ENDEAVOR program helps students personalize, internalize, and later articulate their transformation beyond a credential. By awarding ENDEAVOR Tags that celebrate student development and engagement through courses and co-curricular activities, students become more aware of their own growth and are provided with the language to describe the skills they have gained. This language will give them an advantage when entering the workforce, as they will be able to describe their college experience in a way that resonates with employers.

Augusta University has a robust, multi-year plan to promote student retention and graduation utilizing the Four-to-Finish principles of Mindset, Purpose, Pathways and Engagement. Over the previous years, AU has implemented new strategies to support enrollment growth, and most recently created holistic student support structures organized by meta-majors.