IDS 94/Cooperman Scholars – Spring 2022

0 course units (no-credit)
Term:  Spring 2022
Time:  1:30-2:50pm W
Place:  Social Sciences 228
Prerequisites: None
Prof. G. Steinberg
Office: Bliss Hall 216
Office Phone: 609-771-2106
Office Hours:  1:30-3:30pm MR
Email: gsteinbe@tcnj.edu

GOALS.  By the end of the course, I want you

      1. to know more about the academic culture of TCNJ,
      2. to have shared experiences and given each other advice and support,
      3. to develop methods to help manage your time,
      4. to start developing a long-range plan to manage future decisions, and
      5. to learn to use the support services available on campus.

REQUIREMENTS.  As part of your contract with the Cooperman Scholars Program, you are required to

      • meet with your Cohort Mentor and participate in a weekly group meeting during your freshman and sophomore years. This meeting is estimated to require one to two hours of your time per week and is designed to help ensure your continued success in college.
      • attend one-on-one meetings with your Cohort Mentor every two weeks. This meeting is estimated to require one hour of your time every two weeks and is designed to help support you on campus, check in on your academic progress, and connect you to campus resources.

This course is graded Pass/Unsatisfactory.  In order to pass the course, you must attend and engage in both the weekly group meetings and the biweekly one-on-one meetings.

PROFESSOR’S AVAILABILITY.  My office is Bliss Hall 216, and my office hours this term are 1:30-3:30pm on Mondays and Thursdays.  If you cannot see me during these hours, feel free as needed to call my office (609-771-2106) or talk to me before or after group meeting to arrange an appointment at another time.  You may also contact me by email (gsteinbe@tcnj.edu), or you may leave a message for me in my box at the English department offices in Bliss 124.   In an emergency (minor or major), you have my cell phone number and may call or text me.  Please, do not share my cell phone number with any other students outside our group.

COURSE SCHEDULE.  This schedule is subject to revision at the discretion of the professor.

Dates Topics
 W Jan 26 What do you want to learn and do at these meetings?
Possible topics:

      1. career planning – how do I plan for my future beyond TCNJ?
      2. identity – who am I and how do I fit in?
      3. majors and minors – what are options and ideas? why did I choose the major that I did?
      4. microaggressions – how do I deal with people’s assumptions and biases?
      5. imposter syndrome – do I belong at TCNJ? when will everyone realize that I don’t belong? + negative thoughts – how do my thoughts influence my success negatively? (Coralie)
      6. professors – what makes a good teacher? a bad one? how can I compensate for a less-than-perfect teacher?
      7. mentors – how can I find and meet and get to know a good mentor in my major?
      8. degree audit – what courses have I taken so far? what do I still need to take?
      9. life timeline – what have been the important events in my life? how have those events made me who I am? what positive and negative patterns do I see in my life?
      10. joy conference – what brings me joy? have I forgotten or lost my joy?
      11. sophomore slump – what am I doing here? why do things seem less fun than they did before? who are these people I thought were my friends?
      12. perfectionism – how does perfect get in the way of good?
      13. family boundaries – in my family I am the… what? do family obligations get in the way of school? does school get in the way of family obligations?
      14. DIY Coat of Arms – if I were to design a “coat of arms” that symbolizes who I am and what I want to do with my life, what would it look like?
      15. layers – how do others perceive me when they meet me for the first time? how do I see myself? what things really shape my identity that others can’t see just by looking at me? if others really knew me, they’d know… what?
      16. the next two years – what more do I want to do at TCNJ?
      17. group projects – how to manage conflict? how to ensure equitable workloads? how to compensate for different work habits and preferences?
      18. email etiquette – what makes for a professional email?
      19. other things?
 W Feb 2 Topic: life timeline – what have been the important events in my life? how have those events made me who I am? what positive and negative patterns do I see in my life?
 W Feb 9 Topic: perfectionism – how does perfect get in the way of good? (Daïssa)
 W Feb 16 Topic: joy conference – what brings me joy? have I forgotten or lost my joy? (John)
 W Feb 23 Topic: imposter syndrome – do I belong at TCNJ? when will everyone realize that I don’t belong? + negative thoughts – how do my thoughts influence my success negatively? (Coralie)
 W Mar 2 Topic:  professors – what makes a good teacher? a bad one? how can I compensate for a less-than-perfect teacher?
 W Mar 9 Topic:  family boundaries – in my family I am the… what? do family obligations get in the way of school? does school get in the way of family obligations?
 W Mar 16 NO MEETING (Spring Break)
 W Mar 23 Topic:   (Erica)
Meet in SSB 227
instead of our regular room.
Résumé Workshop
with Lynette Harris.
 W Mar 30 Topic:  Self-care (Cristabel)
 W Apr 6 Topic:  Headshots (Make an appointment to get your free headshot photo taken.)
 W Apr 13 Topics:
sophomore slump – what am I doing here? why do things seem less fun than they did before? who are these people I thought were my friends?
AND
the next two years – what more do I want to do at TCNJ? what do I want my professors, school leaders, and peers to remember most about me?
 W Apr 20 Topic: microaggressions – how do I deal with people’s assumptions and biases? (Irvin)
 W Apr 27 Topics:  Becoming an Independent Person (Erica)
AND
Party planning!
W May 4 NO MEETING Farewell Party instead (May 15, 5pm, at Dr. Glenn’s house)