Academic Opportunities Program

The Academic Opportunities Program maximizes student success by providing coursework that supports the development of academic strategies, facilitates successful transitions to progressively more complex university environments and expectations, and promotes the development of leadership skills and community connections. Our Academic Skills (ACAD) courses build students’ ability to identify, analyze, evaluate, and apply academic information ethically and effectively; generate critical awareness of university culture; successfully navigate the changing expectations of the university environment; connect to key components, people, and resources of the university and of our local community; and communicate effectively in a variety of academic and professional contexts. The ACAD curriculum is designed to enhance academic engagement and self-efficacy to support students in defining and achieving their own goals in the university setting and beyond.

Students who complete ACAD coursework will be able to:

• Accurately assess their own academic performance, identify courses of action to maximize academic performance, and revise academic and career goals based on self-assessment.
• Demonstrate increasing proficiency in addressing the explicit and implicit expectations of academic disciplines and cultures.
• Organize and lead groups productively, and assist others in identifying successful academic strategies to meet individual needs.
• Communicate clearly and constructively with peers, instructors, and others in a variety of contexts.