Carson Bonner, Campus Carrier news editor
A new program called the Berry Journey is set to be implemented in the Fall semester. The Berry Journey will give students the tools and skills they need to take advantage of their time at Berry and market themselves to future employers.
The Berry Journey is a four-phase framework that will help students through each of their years at Berry. These phases are titled Launch, Design, Immerse and Connect. Each phase is directly curated to provide the guidance needed for students at each stage of their Berry career.
“We’re hoping that the Berry Journey will be a framework that students can use in order to set themselves up for success,” Provost David Slade said. “We want to give students the best experience they can get so they’ll be prepared for when their time at Berry is over and they’re looking for jobs. We want them to be able to have a story to tell and do it well.”
Phase one, known as Launch, focuses on helping students transition from living at home to living on a campus. This phase will teach skills required for being successful in college and serve as a transitional stage so students feel prepared for their academic career. According to Dean of Personal and Professional Development Marc Hunsaker, this phase is instrumental in assisting students in becoming more independent.
“The Launch phase recognizes that students are in a new phase of life,” Hunsaker said. “It’s very important that they launch well into college life, and we are trying to be very thoughtful in how campus partners all over Berry help students to launch well.”
Part of the Launch phase that is already a requirement at Berry is the BCC 100 class, where freshmen are grouped with similar majors and are given a student mentor and a faculty adviser. These students spend their first semester learning time management skills and good study habits, while making connections with other students. According to junior Abby-Grace Shrader, who was a mentor her sophomore year, the class is integral to prepare students for their Berry career.
“I think BCC is so good for freshmen to take because you really get to build relationships with people you may be taking classes with later on, and you automatically know people in your major courses,” Shrader said. “It’s also really great because you have students coming in who are leaving everything they’ve ever known, and they can’t be expected to automatically know how to be a college student.”
Phase two—Design—is for students to plan out their future at Berry and figure out their pathway. A BCC 200 course will introduce students to “design thinking” to help students think differently about the future. Students will expand their pathways so that they have options for their future and professional goals. The course will be open at different times, such as in 7-week form, semester length and over the summer.
“We want to have it be a versatile opportunity for students so that if they want to take this class, they’ll easily be able to fit it into their schedules,” Slade said. “The course is created so students can set themselves up for their academic futures and plan accordingly for their future after Berry.”
The third phase is known as Immersion. This phase is dedicated to pursuits of higher-level classes, internships, research experiences, study abroad and higher level LifeWorks positions that relate to students’ professional goals. At this level, students will have guidance that will help them immerse themselves in the jobs and courses they planned in the Design phase, allowing them to decide whether this path appeals to them.
“Students might realize at this point that what they always thought they wanted to do actually isn’t fun for them and that’s okay,” Hunsaker said. “They might realize that they want to pursue something else, which is why it’s important to have multiple options from the design phase so that they are prepared to change their minds.”
The final phase of the Berry Journey is known as Connect, which will teach students to identify their past experiences and present them to employers. Students could take a BCC 300 class or a capstone program in their major. The goal is that students will have a way to communicate their Berry experience such as a resume, portfolio or a LinkedIn profile.
“It’s great to have the experience that you’ll get at Berry, but if you don’t know how to share them, then you really can’t take advantage of them,” Hunsaker said. “This phase is what ties it all together so that you can finish your Berry experience prepared to take on your future. That’s what it’s all about.”