Information Sessions
Project RAISE partners with eight community colleges across Southern California, including Citrus, Cypress, Fullerton, Golden West, Orange Coast, Mt. San Antonio, Santa Ana, and Santiago Canyon colleges. Our goal is to improve the success of low-income and Hispanic/Latin@ students pursuing degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. In an effort to support students prior to their transfer, we provide a series of information sessions at our partner colleges.
Project RAISE Peer Advisors present information sessions on a variety of topics, visiting each partner college three times a semester.
- Upcoming Information Sessions
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Planning is underway for spring 2020 visits.
INFORMATION SESSION TOPICS
Transferring 101
Overview: Students learn about the admissions process, transfer requirements, transferable courses, and cost of attendance when transferring to a four-year university. Focusing on Cal State Fullerton, PAs also discuss campus resources, including Project RAISE opportunities, and go over some of the aspects of transfer shock.
Transfer Shock!
Overview: Students discuss what transfer shock is, its causes, and the effects it has on students after they have transferred. Students talk about some of the challenges associated with transferring to a four-year university, discuss ways in which they may prepare for transferring, receive recommendations from transfer students at CSUF, and learn how Project RAISE can help them!
Transferology
Overview: This is an interactive presentation that works best when conducted in a computer lab. Students learn how Transferology can help them with their transfer plans, receive help from Project RAISE Peer Advisors as they create their accounts, and run a Titan Degree Audit for their majors.
Careers in STEM
Overview: Students explore the career development process, hear about some of the skills they will develop as STEM majors, and look into specific positions within Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. Students learn about tools that can help them research careers within their majors and talk about some of the things they can do to prepare to enter the job market.
Resumes and Personal Statements
Overview: Students explore the format and common sections of a resume. PAs discuss action verbs and go through an action statement exercise where students practice improving their bullet points for their own experiences. PAs also discuss some common Dos and Don’ts, as well as some of the things that employers prioritize. PAs also discuss the need for, and importance of personal statements. PAs discuss tips for a successful personal statement and students begin drafting some ideas around their personal experiences, career aspirations, and their field of study.
Strategies for Success
Overview: Strategies for success is designed to help students understand how to a) define success, b) set SMART goals, c) get organized, d) find opportunities, e) track progress toward goals, f) stay committed, g) learn from mistakes, h) identify and use resources, and i) seek help. This presentation can be tailored to meet your students’ needs by focusing on academic success, funding/scholarship processes, conference and travel opportunities, or other agreed upon topics.
Undergraduate Research Opportunities
Overview: Students review the importance of an undergraduate research opportunity, discuss the benefits of conducting research, gain an understanding of how to search for local and national research opportunities, and talk about some of the steps to prepare or position themselves to conduct research. Students also go through an overview of the Undergraduate Research Experience (URE) provided by Project RAISE at Cal State Fullerton, hear from Peer Advisors about their research experiences, and review the URE application process.
Peer Stories Panel or Mixer
Overview: Peer Advisors will share their own transfer stories, including strategies for success and future plans. This can be done as a panel with pre-determined questions specific to your CC audience, with each PA taking a turn to talk, and/or with a networking component allowing CC students to casually interact with CSUF students.
