The College of Charleston’s Summer Preview program has turned into much more than just a preview, with 97% of participants saying the program has eased their transition from high school to college.
Last week, more than 70 incoming freshmen at the College of Charleston participated in activities centered on one of six themes. The groups will get back together during the first semester to check in, and they will also be able to participate in the First Year Experience Abroad travels during spring break to the UK, Germany or the Dominican Republic.
“It is amazing to see both the program’s growth and success since its start in 2008,” says Bruce Fleming, Director of Living and Learning Communities and creator of Summer Preview. “The transition from high school to college can be very difficult as students need to digest a great amount of change in a short period of time. Summer Preview, through peer-to-peer interactions, helps ease the academic, social, and personal anxieties that incoming first year students may face as they enter college.”
Summer Preview has grown from its start of 12 participants and one theme into one of the most popular freshman opportunities at the College of Charleston. Group activities include a harbor cruise, a Kin Ball tournament through Campus Recreation, and a comedy show at Theatre 99. Individual theme activities include experiences at the Grice Marine Lab, Charleston Battery, a faculty dinner, service for Habitat for Humanity, and an introduction to the MUSC Simulation Lab. The participants can replicate most of the activities during the fall semester, for example, Theatre 99 does $5 shows every Wednesday and it is an easy walk to the location on Meeting Street just off campus.
In 2010, a second phase was added to Summer Preview to keep the participants engaged and to ensure they are succeeding at college academically, socially, and personally. Four programs are held during the semester that could include dinners out, events on or off campus, and activities with James Island County Park or beyond.
In 2012, First Year Experience Abroad travels were added with the U.K. Soccer Experience trip during spring break. This third phase of Summer Preview was developed in conjunction with the First Year Experience program at the College of Charleston in an effort to promote global learning early on in the freshmen curriculum. For spring 2013, three abroad trips will be offered. Students will be able to go to the U.K. for the “Business of Sports,” to Germany for “Pre-Med,” and the Dominican Republic for “First Year Service Experience.” A domestic trip will go to Florida where students can learn about the baseball spring training experience and get behind-the-scenes of the TPC Sawgrass golf course which holds THE PLAYERS golf championship every May.
“Summer Preview has really gone beyond the initial goal of getting new students acclimated to the College, the City of Charleston, and the surrounding areas,” Fleming says. “It addition, it provides a full-year of support and transition, which we hope to tie to higher student retention and graduation rates. We’ve also built in a Peer Mentor component, which keeps students connected even longer and provides a unique leadership opportunity that demands creative and critical thinking as each individual has a great amount of freedom to plan and create a theme-based program for incoming first year students.”
Past Summer Preview participants are eligible to be Peer Mentors and of the initial 12 participants, 10 went on to be Peer Mentors and help to shape the program. The Peer Mentors undergo hours of training and are responsible for building the program, including selecting all group and individual activities.
For more information, contact Bruce Fleming at 843.953.6310 or flemingw@cofc.edu.
