» Sophomores
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Your second year is an exciting time – you’ve made it back after your first year of college and now are ready to keep going. However, the second year is also full of challenges such as more difficult classes, higher academic expectations, and increased demands on your time. Take advantage of all the resources available to help make your sophomore year great!
Here, you can find information to help you succeed and persist to graduation while making your undergraduate experience meaningful and rewarding. Explore the links on this page to make sure you are “on track” for a successful UT experience.
Academic Curriculum
- Seek out academic help from an Academic Coach
- Apply to be a SI Leader – helping students with math and sciences that you have mastered
- Student assistant positions in university offices/programs are great for all students. The Student Success Center frequently has positions available
- Pursue getting to know faculty in a major that interests you. They can discuss career options and provide a letter of reference when you apply for a job or to graduate school
- Apply to be a Peer Mentor with a First-Year Studies 101 course
- Prepare for entry into a major (e.g., portfolio review for studio art majors, pre-requisite courses)
- Make yourself a viable candidate for national and post-graduate scholarships
- Check out the College Scholars Program and create a unique major (apply as late as the 2nd semester of your sophomore year)
- Attend a daily 2:00pm International Education interest meeting for study abroad opportunities
- Make sure you and your advisor are on the same track when it comes to planning for your goals and major
- Think about Mini Session as a way to focus on one class or apply for a 3-week study abroad trip
- If you haven't already, start planning for a possible minor (plus or minus 18 credit hours)
- Enhance your computer skills. Take a course offered by the Office of Information Technology
Career
- Start identifying part-time and summer employment, study abroad programs, volunteer work (Alternative Break Trips) or internships
- Meet with a career counselor if still undecided or a college consultant if firmly in a major
- Talk to professionals in career fields you are considering
- Use the Career Services' guides to resume writing, interview preparation, or graduate school admissions.
- Develop a professional quality resume and use Hire-A-VOL to access summer job and internship opportunities
- Attend the Summer Job and Internship Fair
Campus Involvement
- Attend Welcome Week events for sophomores
- Apply for officer positions within student organizations and pursue membership in Junior-Senior honor societies
Civic Engagement/Service Learning
- Ask your advisor about service learning courses and other opportunities for civic engagement. In the meantime, here are a great list of links that may be of interest:
- The Center for Leadership and Service—One-time or on-going service opportunities for students
- Arts and Sciences Academic Outreach Office, Service Learning Division—Opportunities for students taking Arts and Sciences courses looking to do service learning
- Dr. Bob Kronick works heavily in Knoxville’s inner-city schools with many service learning opportunities
- Center for Excellence in Watershed Excellence, run by Tim Gangaware, offers many service learning opportunities for students interested in environmental issues related to water
- Dr. Michael Handelsman works with ESL students in Knoxville schools
- Dr. Allison Anders is a professor working with refugees in Knoxville schools
- Dr. Sherry Cable is a professor of Sociology who uses service learning to teach social problems
- Dr. Michael McKinney is a Chair of Environmental Studies program
- Dr. Mary Rogge of Environmental Social Work is very engaged in community based research
- HABIT (Human Animal Bond in Tennessee)—for students with animals who want to be involved with service. This program uses dogs to help teach reading in Knoxville schools
- SCAVMA—for veterinary students looking to do service with animals
- Dr. David Fox in the College of Architecture does a lot of work with low-income housing in Knoxville and Chattanooga
- College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences outreach initiatives. For students interested in grief outreach center, contact Tricia McClam
- For students interested in Public Health, Dr. Paul Erwin does a lot of work with community health councils and the Knox County Health Department
- College of Law Legal Clinic
- The Center for the Study of Social Justice is involved in research that is very much relevant to community issues
Undergraduate Research
- Meet with a professor in your major field of study and ask if you could assist with any research he or she is personally working on
- Visit the Undergraduate Research section of the UTK Office of Research website