A

Guide to Working with

Sophomore Students

2015-2016

Created by: Amanda Eagan

WHY SOPHOMORES?

In recent years, a large amount of focus and energy has be placed on enhancing the first year
experience. Resources have been dedicated to academic support programs, peer mentor
programs, social interactions, community-building events, counseling initiatives, and faculty
engagement opportunties all to improve the
transition of first year students into the university
enviornment. But, what happens next?

Unfortunately, the amount of attention placed on
students significantly dwindles following the
completition of the first year. Oftentimes this
leads to confusion and feelings of abandonment
as many students find themselves lost within the
system all at a time when the realities of college
life are setting in.

For many sophomore students, differing living

situations result in the loss of freshman year support system, while, for others, sophomore year
requires important decisions regarding majors, and, therefore, future careers to be made. As
the newness of college wears off, many students begin to recognize the implications of a
university education and feel pressure to make meaningful returns on the investments they and
their families have made. While they desire to get more involved in their academic and co-
curricular environments, few leadership positions are available to sophomore students, and
they receive minimal attention from faculty and student development personnel. This could
help explain the increase in apathy and decrease in
exhibited by students in their second year
Research conducted by motivation
of college.
the US Department of
Yet, despite the unique challenges that sophomores
Education shows that face, few institutions have developed comprehensive
programs to address the needs of these students. This
2/3 as many students guide is intended to explain the challenges of
sophomore students within the context of the
drop out of higher
Residential Experience Model employed by Clemson
University Housing and Dining and offer programming
education in their
experiences and areas of opportunity intended to
second year as they do support sophomore students and avoid what is
oftentimes referred to as the sophomore slump.
in their first year.

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SELF-EXPLORATION

Developing purpose is a main focus for sophomore students. For some

students the newness and excitement of the collegial experience has
worn off, and they find themselves stuck in the same old routine, which
results in boredom and a lack of motivation. Other sophomores find
themselves questioning the direction and ways of thinking they have always known. The college
experience exposes students to a variety of new social, personal,
Compared to the freshman
and professional options and some students may find themselves
so overwhelmed with choices that they are unable to process
year, during the sophomore
through their thoughts and feelings to make a decision. Yet, the
year students may feel less
sophomore year is a pivotal decision making period as students
must attempt to align personal and professional aspirations and
hopeful, less engaged, and less
make steady progress towards degree completion. It they deem
competent. It is a year of
themselves unsuccessful, sophomore students often believe they
reflection on what they have
have failed expectations, both internal and external. This results in
feelings of invisibility and discouragement, and these feelings are
achieved academically, and on
impacted by students motivation, values, and perceived worth of a
what they want to accomplish
college education.

in the future
Research shows that
students are initially motivated to attend college by one
or more of the following: a.) desire to enter a specific
field b.) personal development c.) desire to help others
d.) parental or societal expectations e.) no other desirable
option. Of these motivators, which can change as
students progress in their collegial careers, careerism,
personal development, and a desire to help others have
been found to increase students confidence and
commitment to their course work. The remaining two
have more of a neutral or negative effect, especially as
students get further into their studies. Exposing students
to experiences that allow them to explore personal and professional aspirations in relation to positive
motivators is vital in the sophomore year.

Continually, students values about work and career goals are typed into four categories: intrinsic, social,
extrinsic, and prestige related. Autonomy and individual passions are examples of intrinsic values.
Extrinsic values, on the other hand, included things like financial security and career advancement.
Individuals who hold social values look to interact with others and work for societal improvement;
whereas, those who value prestige pursue careers that
Event Suggestions:
are highly respected. Extrinsic values are less tied to
Personal assessment (MBTI, Strengths)
academic persistence than the other three, so giving
students opportunities that encourage value examination
Explore study abroad options
is important as students work through the confusion
Financial literacy
associated with the sophomore year.
Wellness

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INTELLECTUAL
ENGAGEMENT

Major commitment has been found to be a significant indicator of academic success. Students who have
a clear view of their future and make choices both inside and outside the classroom that align with their
personal values and put them on the path to achieve their goals are more likely to remain engaged in
the holistic collegiate experience. Faculty members play a key role as they not only have the ability to
expose students to new ideas and subject areas, but they are also able to promote reflective thinking
and moral reasoning with students. This can have a positive impact on the development of cognitive and
career related skills and even influence a students career choice. When many students must make vital
major and career decisions, the importance of faculty interaction cannot be understated.

Unfortunately, many sophomores find themselves enrolled in large,
general education classes taught by non-major and adjunct faculty
members. Because many programs are structured to provide most
faculty interaction during the junior and senior years, this makes it
particularly difficult for students to build meaningful relationships,
especially if they switch majors or leave their initial academic
advisor. By simply finding informal ways to promote the accessibility
of faculty members and highlight their interest in enhancing student
success, university officials can encourage productive relationships
that may not otherwise be built and provide students with resources
and skills that will help them make decisions regarding their
academic and professional futures.

Additionally, due to perceived lack of relevancy of general education courses or the higher standards of
weed out classes, sophomores may become discouraged and actually decrease the amount of time and
effort they dedicate to their studies and co-curricular activities despite increased expectations that the
institution has of them. In fact, students in their second year have been found to study the least of all
students, and 1/6 start their second year in poor academic standing or without steady progress towards
a degree. This is particularly concerning when academic progress and self-efficacy are major factors as
students decide whether to continue to enroll, and engagement helps students develop critical-thinking,
decision-making, and communication skills necessary throughout and beyond their collegiate careers.

When working with sophomore students,
Event Suggestions:
however, it is important to remember that
Exploring internship and graduate school
there is a spectrum. While some students
options
have not developed an internal voice and
Informal interactions with faculty and alumni
may lack the self-reflection skills necessary
Resume workshop
to assess decisions in relation goals, others,
Etiquette and professionalism
while potentially few, are entirely clear
Creative Inquiry (undergraduate research)
about what they want for the future and
Career exploration collaboration
already have plans to get there. Initiatives
must cater to the entire spectrum.

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da

LIVING IN
COMMUNITY

While it is often assumed that sophomore students have a

solidified understanding of who and what they want to dedicate
their time and efforts to, many students actually report feeling
disconnected from the friends and organizations they gravitated
towards in their first year. Many times, students in their first year
feel such a sense of urgency to meet people that convenience
often takes precedent over value. For example, students typically
make friends with with the individuals they see on a regular basis
in their classes or on their halls and join organizations that their
friends are in, instead of pursuing involvements and relationships
based on their own interests. They want to feel included and may
utilize unsustainable methods. So, by the time their second year comes around, altered schedules and
living arrangements shift sophomore students perspectives, and they find themselves losing contact
with or disinterested in maintaining first year associations.

Yet, social integration is just as important, if not more important, during
the sophomore year as students learn more about themselves and make
decisions regarding their place within the world around them. Peer
interactions, such as those gained from informal friendships and formal
campus involvements, not only allow students to rebuild support
systems, but also provide opportunities for socialization and identity
exploration that will better inform important, life-guiding decisions.
Social integration has also been shown to have a positive impact on
student persistence as sophomore students with informal friendships are less likely to leave an
institution, and formal campus involvements reduce students chances of leaving by 83%.

Beyond personal involvement, sophomore
Event Suggestions:
students also report feeling lost within the
Welcome back event
administrative practices of the institutional
system. Many students become frustrated with
Mutual expectations advising workshop
the systematic processes of billing, financial aid,
Leadership workshop
health services, and course registration as they
How to get involved as a sophomore
often are sent from one individual or office to the
Frequent informal social gatherings (i.e.
next without their questions or concerns getting
tailgates, Explore Clemson area, etc.)
addressed. Receiving the run-around and a lack of
Surviving the sophomore struggles series
feedback can give students the impression that
Sophomore spotlight (recognition)
faculty and staf members are not approachable or
willing to advocate on behalf of their students.

Continued displays of institutional integrity, dedication to student welfare, and a positive university
community can improve the overall student experience and increase commitment to the univeristy.


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GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP

Despite the fact that, for many students, college is a time of discovery, a
large number of student often find themselves trapped within the bubble
of their respective college campus. Current events typically consist of the
latest happenings on campus, and worldviews are limited to the individuals and concepts students
happen to come in contact with in their classes or their day-to-day lives. Even then, these ideas often
remain abstract concepts.

Global citizenship extends beyond simply knowing it is about doing. Global citizenship requires
students to take active ownership of their education and understand their role in seeking out knowledge
and enacting positive change. For students, this shift
in thinking occurs when exposure is grounded in
experience. Students who simply know of something
are less likely to become invested than those who
actually participate in or witness an unfamiliar or
uncomfortable environment. For example, a
middleclass student who sits in class and listens to a
professor talk about poverty is likely to walk out of
class relatively unphased because the concept has
relatively little impact on them. However, getting out
and witnessing the hardships found in lower
socioeconomic areas or engaging in dialogue with
peers or community members who have experienced
these hardships is more likely to expand students
horizons and encourage them to seek a greater
awareness. Difference becomes human, not simply an object, and students are able to make
connections between social realities, their emotions, and learning. This can allow them to enter into
more authentic relationships and lead to a greater openness to diverse perspectives and ways of being.

In the midst of encountering cultures different from their own, students will also learn more about their
own cultures. As Clemson University French professor and associate dean, Constancio Nakuma, says, In
the mirror of the other, you begin to see yourself for who you are. You begin to see the wider world.

Sophomore students are no different, and it is the responsibility of student affairs professionals to
provide opportunities that allow students to more deeply experience and embrace the diversity of the
world around them. However, during such a critical time of transition, it is extremely important that
students are given ample opportunities to reflect on
their experiences with difference and encouraged to
Event Suggestions:
consider the impact that these experiences will have
Service learning day trip
on them in both the short and long term. What
World current events discussion
exactly did they experience? How did it make them
feel? How can they foster environments of mutual
Study abroad
respect? Where do they go from here?

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SOPHOMORE SUMMARY

For many students, the sophomore year is characterized by confusion and frustration as the realities of
the college experience start to set in. They often find themselves in an overwhelming phase of transition
as they reflect on their first year of college and look forward to the future ahead. While evaluating the
individuals they have become with their future goals, sophomore students must take responsibility for
their own learning as they attempt to align their values, academic studies, and career aspirations.

Unfortunately, this is not an easy process as academic deficiencies, disengagement inside and outside
the classroom, confusion over personal values and identity, major and career uncertainty, and overall
dissatisfaction with the collegiate experience are widely exhibited in the second year.

In order to combat these issues, it is crucial
that support systems are a focus of the
sophomore year experience. Support systems
can take a variety of forms including academic
advising, interactions with faculty and staff,
informal peer friendships, and/or formal
campus and community involvement, but
their importance cannot be understated,
especially considering many second year
students stray away from their first-year
associations. These interactions provide
students with the opportunities to explore
who they are, what is important to them, and
how they can best make a positive impact on
their own lives and the lives of those around
them.

With this in mind, many sophomores are required to declare a major in their second year, so it is also
important that a focus is placed on career and major exploration. Whether students no longer relate to
their first year major, have no idea what they want to do, are so overwhelmed with many appealing
options that they cannot make a decision, or do not meet the academic requirements of their first
choice major, anxiety and lack of commitment are likely to result. Without adequate personal and
academic support from faculty, staff, and peers, students may become disconnected from their studies
and lack the motivation to earn sufficient GPAs or make satisfactory progress toward receiving their
degrees.

Students are more likely to remain invested in their collegiate experience if they have developed a sense
of belonging within an academic department and campus community as a whole. They need to feel as if
they are making personal and academic progress and that the university system is easy to navigate and
invested in the holistic success of its students. It is the responsibility of university officials to ensure that
such an environment exists to meet the needs of these sophomore students. The information and
programming suggestions provided in this document serve as a resource to help them do so effectively
within the framework of the Residential Experience Model of Clemson University Housing and Dining.

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Useful Event Resources

Center for Career and Professional Development
Hendrix Student Center, 3rd Floor
(864) 656-6000

Study Abroad
E-301 Martin Hall
(864) 656-2457

Financial Aid
G-01 Sikes Hall
(864) 656-2280

Fike Recreation Center
202 Sikes Hall
(864) 656-3453






Academic Advising

Leadership Learning
700 University Union
(864) 656-3174

Fraternity and Sorority Life
602 University Union
(864) 656-7625

Civic Engagement
707 University Union
(864) 656-1200

Gantt Center For Student Life
(864) 656-1200

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Center for Career and Professional Development
Hendrix Student Center, 3rd Floor
(864) 656-6000

Creative Inquiry and Undergraduate Research
E-201 Martin Hall
(864) 656-1550

Academic Success Center
836 McMillan Rd.
(864) 656-6452

Academic Advising
Varies by program and department






Civic Engagement
707 University Union
(864) 656-1200

Multicultural Programs and Services
602 University Union
(864) 656-1401

Study Abroad
E-301 Martin Hall
(864) 656-2457

Diversity Education
Becky Morgan
864-656-2736

References

Felten, P., & Clayton, P. H. (2011). Service-learning. New Directions For Teaching & Learning. 2011 (128)
75-84. doi: 10.1002/tl.470

Gahagan, J., & Hunter, M. S. (2006). The second year experience: Turning attention to the academys
middle children. About Campus, 11(3), 17-22.

Gohn, L., Swartz, J., & Donnelly, S. (2001). A case study of second year persistence. Journal of College
Student Retention, 2(4), 271-294.

Hunter, M. S., Tobolowsky, B. F., Gardner, J. N., Evenbeck, S. E., Pattengale, J. A., Schaller, M. A., &
Schreiner, L. A. (2010). Helping sophomores succeed: Understanding and improving the second-
year experience. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Kennedy-Phillips, L., & Fines, E. (2014). Now starring sophomores: Making the most of sophomore year.
The Talking Stick, 31(3), 29-35.

Kowarski, I. (2010). Colleges help students translate the benefits of study abroad. The Chronicle of
Higher Education.

Lipka, S. (2006). After the freshman bubble pops. The Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved from
http://chronicle.com/article/After-the-Freshman-Bubble-Pops/4556/

Martinez, Luis. (2011). The study abroad advantage. Diverse Issues in Higher Education, 28(21), 25.

Sanchez-Leguelinel, C. (2008). Supporting slumping sophomores: Programmatic peer initiatives
designed to enhance retention in the crucial second year of college. College Student Journal,
42(2), 637-646.

Schaller, M. A. (2005). Wandering and wondering: Traversing the uneven terrain of the second college
year. About Campus, 10(3), 17-24.

Schaller, M. A., & Wagner, R. L. (2007). Indecision and an avalanche of expectations: Challenges facing
sophomore resident assistants. NASPA Journal, 44(1), 32-54.

Tobolowsky, B. F. (2008). Sophomores in transition: The forgotten year. New Directions for Higher
Education, 144, 59-67.

Tyner, N. (2013). International cooperation: The study abroad experience. Michigan Academician, 41(3),
377-388.

Weisbuch, R. A. (2006). Avoiding a sophomore slump. The Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved from
http://chronicle.com/article/Avoiding-a-Sophomore-Slump/46761/


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