Shadow Day VII
"One thing I've learned today is that engineering is not only about yourself, but you have to think about other people. I thought that was very deep and something I've never thought about before." says RUP student, Alex, after taking a tour of the SSU Department of Engineering.
It's the fall semester and time for Shadow Day. During this event, Roseland University Prep (RUP)juniors got to experience college life as a student at Sonoma State University (SSU) for one day. As many RUP student families do not have a background in higher education, the visiting high school students are often the first generation who will attend college. Shadow Day provides these students with confidence and guidance to encourage them to do so.
SSU students enrolled in EDEC 420 service-learning class were paired with juniors from RUP. The pairs took off across campus, attending classes, visiting club meetings, checking out campus dining by eating at The Kitchens, and other activities that make up the daily life of SSU students. The purpose was to have RUP students shadow the SSU students and give them hands-on experience of what it's like to be in college at Sonoma State.
The RUP students had a lot of feedback throughout the day. Luis states "I hope to gain a guideline of what college has to offer to me in the future." Patrick says "I'm learning the college experience of being a student here. I'm seeing what [Kyle, my SSU partner,] does and what I'm looking forward to for my future."
Not only was this beneficial to RUP students, it was a perfect opportunity for the EDEC students to gain service-learning experience. "During Shadow Day, we were able to take learning outside of the classroom, and make an impact on a kid's life," explains Kaitlyn Connolly, SSU student. The college students agreed they gained leadership skills, learned more about communication, and overall enjoyed the day being role models for younger students.
"So many of the kids believed that they were unable to attend college because their families were not rich. I began to explain to them that that there are multiple financial aid options that would allow them to go to college. The simple fact that I possibly could have helped these boys achieve their dreams of going to college made this whole experience incredible." Hannah Sourek says. Michael Bard, explained "We had a discussion that lasted at least 90 minutes over coffee, so she could more readily make an informed decision."
Martha Jones, RUP counselor says, "The [RUP] students were talking non-stop on the bus ride home and the Snapchats and Instagrams were flying." We're all looking forward to the next Shadow Day!
The Center for Community Engagement would like to thank the RUP high school students, EDEC 420 students and their instructors, Jessica Hobson, Carlyn Knight, Elizabeth Galvez-Hard, and Anya Kayn for another successful Shadow Day.
Read about last semester's Shadow Day. You can also see more pictures from today's event.