September 22, 2022
University freshmen today face a unique set of challenges when making the transition from late adolescence to mature adulthood. They seek to cultivate a set of moral and intellectual virtues that can help them prepare for the responsibilities of a mature life. It is a complex problem, but one with a solution envisioned by the School of Arts and Sciences: The Bridge to Adulthood Sequence
A&S is launching a pilot of a new “Adulting Initiative” this fall. This extracurricular program goes from freshman to senior year. It invites students to reflect more carefully on what a mature life looks like, from intellectual and spiritual life to vocation, marriage, and friendship. It consists of a sequence of developmentally appropriate classes over the course of the undergrad career:
• Success in college (freshman year – friendship, healthy choices, study skills, the intellectual life, what does success mean in college)
• Meaningful work (sophomore year – hard skills like internships, networking, resume building; discernment skills – vocation, the meaning of work, meaningful work; the limits of work);
• Looking towards life after college (senior year – friendship, dating, work/life balance, vocation)