Freshman Focus IDC 100 is a one hour credit course that will provide all traditional aged freshmen the chance to make their transition to college as intentional as possible. Through reading, writing, discussion, and out-of-class activities, Bellarmine hopes to direct and support its freshmen by increasing students’ self-awareness and sense of purpose about college. The class will focus on decision making in regard to both the academic and social dimensions of their lives, leading to a successful first year in college. Freshman focus addresses skill development in the following four core areas:
Academic skills
Health and wellness
Personal and emotional
Social involvement
Goals for Freshman Focus:
To help freshmen develop a sense of purpose about their studies at Bellarmine as they acquire the habits of successful students by stressing the behaviors, skills, and attitudes that support that success.
To link freshmen to Bellarmine by integrating them into campus culture through requiring and encouraging participation in co-curricular organizations, activities, and various campus services.
To link students to each other and the college. As research on the freshmen year indicates, most freshmen can’t function well without bonding with a social group. One major purpose of Freshman Focus is to provide that group, facilitating freshmen in forming relationships on the campus--a goal especially necessary for the commuter students to achieve.
To help students develop short-term and long-term goals that will link them to the college and provide motivation and focus for freshmen as they begin their college career.
To function effectively as an adjunct of the advising program. The instructors of this course will be the freshman advisors for the academic year.
Learning outcomes for Freshman Focus:
Students access Freshman Focus course materials through the student portal and/or Blackboard course management software.
