Purpose: To help students achieve academic success through increased knowledge and hands-on experience in topic areas surrounding academic and personal growth.

This year’s workshops will be in person with a Zoom option for individuals who may not be able to attend an in-person workshop but are interested in obtaining the information. If you are interested in joining us via Zoom, click here or type in the following link to gain access to our workshops: https://missouristate.zoom.us/j/95608542941.

***Note: Workshops will not be cancelled. If the University closes due to inclement winter weather, the scheduled workshop will move to a virtual format via Zoom. You will use the link provided above. If the University cancels in-person events due to COVID-19, all workshops will move to a virtual format via Zoom. Check back here for workshop updates due to COVID-19. ***

Workshop Topic Descriptions and Schedule

Explore Career and Major: Let’s Map the Future! : Tuesday, February 1 @ 6pm
Location: Hill Hall 229
Time for a reset! Do you still have a passion for your major or excitement about your career aspirations? Do you know what you want to do with your future? Are you still trying to figure things out? In this workshop, you will engage in self-exploration to help you reaffirm your current major or career aspirations or explore what other possibilities are out there. You will also learn goal-setting skills to help you track and build on your progress of getting what you want out of your academic college experience.

Caring for your Calendar and Yourself; the Art of Time Management: Tuesday, February 8 @ 6pm
Location: PSU Ballroom East
Students will learn the importance of a well-structured calendar, as well as tips on how to best organize their daily schedule, prioritizing school, self-care, and work. Students will learn the importance of self-care, as well as how to define it, and where to go on campus for it. Having a plan starts each day on the path to success, and this workshop is all about crafting the plan that is right for you.

Finding Success with Blackboard: Wednesday, February 9 @ 6pm
Location: PSU Ballroom East
(Bringing a laptop or tablet is encouraged.)
Navigating through unfamiliar programs like Blackboard can be challenging when you feel thrust into it while transitioning into the first year of college. This workshop is aimed at helping you learn more about Blackboard and ways to effectively use the learning management system. Students will be able to go to classes well-prepared without the anxiety of missing assignments or participating in a discussion board. Additionally, students will learn how to regularly check the deadlines for assignments and tests, keep track of their progress in the course, and find course content in a central location.

Scholarships 101: Tuesday, February 15 @ 6pm
Location: Hill Hall 229
(Bringing a laptop or tablet is encouraged.)
In this workshop, students will review the importance of the FAFSA in relation to receiving financial aid, and discover available scholarships and how to apply for them. This session will include a timeline for scholarship applications, best practices when writing a scholarship essay, where to find scholarships, etc.

Is There a Better Way? Ways to Improve Your Study Habits: Wednesday, February 16 @ 6pm
Location: PSU Ballroom East
“This used to be easier when I was in high school! I could study the day before and get an A on my exam with no problem! What am I doing wrong?!” Preparing for exams in college takes more than memorizing things the day before the exam. In this workshop, students will learn useful resources and methods to assist in comprehending subject material in preparation for college exams. In addition to useful methods such as taking good notes and proper study skills and techniques, students will learn how to best use the time set aside for studying.

Conquering the College Essay: Tuesday, February 22 @ 6pm
Location: PSU Ballroom East
Sometimes putting your thoughts to paper can be a challenge. When your professor tells you to write an essay, do you find that you have a general idea of what you want to write about, but no idea of how or where to start? Maybe starting is not the issue but figuring out how to end your essay is? Do you often guess at when or where to transition your thoughts? Has every essay you have written so far been returned to you with a grade you were not expecting? How do you write something that appears to be on a college level or meets your professor’s standards? This workshop will help you learn techniques to improve your writing skills and provide tips on how to best translate your thoughts to words on paper.

Conquering a Life with Loans and Budgeting: Wednesday, February 23 @ 6pm
Location: Siceluff 127
In this workshop, students will break down financial aid myths related to student loans and borrowing money. They will gain knowledge of the importance of managing the money they borrow so that the impact after graduating is small. In addition, students will become aware of the importance of being financially literate while in college and receive information related to gaining the following skills: knowledge of financial resources, how to save, how to live on a budget, etc.

ATTEND OUR WORKSHOPS AND WIN PRIZES!
At the end of each student success workshop, students who attended the workshop will be entered into a drawing for one of the prizes listed below (Gift cards value anywhere from $15 to $25). All winners will be notified via email the following day.
• Two tickets to the Springfield Zoo (You’ll have two chances to win this prize)
• Andy’s Gift Card
• Buffalo Wild Wings Gift Card
• A pair of movie passes to Alamo Drafthouse
• Amazon Gift Gard
• Two Gift Cards to Springfield Escape Room
If a student attends 3 or more workshops, the student will be eligible to receive one of our grand prize, two tickets to Silver Dollar City or a Nintendo Switch Lite! This prize drawing will take place the week of March 1 following our last workshop. Winner will be notified via email.

 

In addition to attending the workshop, each student must fill out our workshop sign in and evaluation document to be eligible for prizes. The link to this document will be given to students at the end of each workshop. If you attended a workshop and did not receive access to this link, please email Christopher Clark at ChristopherClark@MissouriState.edu. Please include the name of the presenter at the workshop as proof of attendance.

Students who attend six or seven workshops will be recognized with special gift!