Academics

Oglethorpe launches scholar success summer pilot program

This year, Oglethorpe will launch the Paul Hackett Summer Success Scholars Program, a holistic residential program to help new students acclimate during the fall semester.

The program is led by Compass, Oglethorpe’s first-year academic advising initiative, and funded by a three-year grant from the Robitaille family in memory of Oglethorpe alumnus Paul Hackett.

In its inaugural year, the program will include ten randomly selected students, with plans to grow the number in coming years. The first-year students will have the opportunity to explore a collegiate environment that engages them in experiential learning.

“This effort is a pilot program designed to give students the tools to be successful [in] the upcoming semester,” said René Alvarez, director of academic success and advising. “Part of that is the ability to connect their academic trajectory to their career development.”

Students will participate in the Atlanta Laboratory for Learning signature programs geared toward academic resiliency, civic engagement, and career development. They also will develop meaningful social and academic connections and create a strong resource-filled foundation to bolster their academic journey at Oglethorpe.

The scholars also will take part in a credit-worthy class created specifically for the program called “Career and Academic Explorations,” taught by Dr. Matthew Wild.

Like Compass advising, the Paul Hackett Summer Success Scholars Program will seek to foster academic–professional–personal–social balance; build critical thinking, communication, and executive skills; develop and achieve incremental educational and career goals; and ensure these Oglethorpe students make a life, make a living and make a difference in the world within a resilience-building framework.

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