Popularity of Lakeland’s Student Success Course soars
Popularity of Lakeland’s Student Success Course soars
The demand just keeps growing and growing. So much so that organizers of Lakeland College’s Student Success Course had to squeeze in a few more seats for new students wanting in.
“It’s a nice problem to have but the increase in the number of students wanting to take the course tells us that it really works for them,” says Tricia Smith, academic services chair and coordinator of the college’s Learning Centre.
This is the third year Lakeland has offered the Student Success course. The four-day program runs a week before classes start and offers sessions and activities to help first-year students adapt more easily to college classes and campus life.
Forty students took the course this year but several more had to be put on a waitlist. Jen Bakos of Lloydminster, Alta., was one of the lucky ones. She is a first-year university transfer student.
“I wanted to take the Student Success Course because I struggled in my previous college experience,” says Bakos. “This year, I decided to use all the resources available to me at Lakeland to help me excel. I already feel more confident going into the first semester. I’ve learned a lot about myself and how to use my learning style in and out of the classroom. The course has been so beneficial to me and I would recommend it to any student.”
Course topics include effective note taking and textbook reading, personal learning styles, exam preparation, memory improvement, time management and best practices for group work. Students also gain strategies to help resolve conflict, handle stress, manage emotions and achieve their goals.
Program instructors and staff from the college’s academic and student support services including the library, The Learning Centre and counselling departments facilitate the sessions. Fun activities also enable students to make new friendships and become more familiar with the campus and the community.
For more information, go to www.lakelandcollege.ca
