Academic and Advising Services For Second-Year Students

The Sophomore Signature Program

There's so much to experience during your second year at Mercer! Academically, you'll continue to build on the foundation you laid in your first year of studies, and you'll move towards a more focused approach to your major. Outside of class, you'll find many rewarding co-curricular activities in which to participate, and you'll continue to prepare for your future profession through participation in programs offered by Career Services. Your sophomore year is a time to explore your identity while choosing your academic and career paths; it's a time to think about your signature, the mark you want to leave on Mercer and the world!

The Office of Academic and Advising Services, located in Penfield Hall, is here to support you during your sophomore year with services provided as part of Mercer's Sophomore Signature Program. The office will communicate with you and your family regularly throughout the year and will offer a series of programs created specifically for sophomores. Academic and Advising Services is also available to answer questions related to advising issues and various campus activities. Please contact us at 478.301.2078 with any questions you might have.

In the text below, you will find advice about what you should be doing during your sophomore year in order to stay on track academically and continue to develop yourself personally and professionally.

All sophomores should do the following:

Continue to meet with your assigned academic advisor.
Complete or update your SuccessTrak profile by visiting the following website, which is maintained by Mercer's Career Services: http://www.mercer.edu/career/macon/students/successtrak_login.html.
Develop a resume; Career Services is available to aid students in this process.
Explore potential study abroad experiences by contacting Mercer's Study Abroad Office.
Participate in campus organizations to broaden your educational experience; contact the Office of Campus Life or the Office of Academic and Advising Services for more information about various campus organizations.
Research scholarships and fellowships that are available to exceptional juniors and seniors. The following Mercer website is a good starting point: http://mercer.edu/nfs/.
During the spring semester, finalize your summer plans; consider finding an employment, volunteer, or internship opportunity related to your career goals, or take summer classes to stay on track with your academic progress.
During the spring semester, finalize your housing plans for your junior year.

Sophomores who have chosen a major should do the following:

If you are in the College of Liberal Arts and have earned 30 hours of college credit, complete a Declaration of Major Form; these forms may be picked up at and returned to the Registrar's Office.
Outline your degree plan with your academic advisor.
Explore employment, volunteer, and/or internship opportunities related to your major. The department of your major can provide information about internships at Mercer; Career Services, Mercer Commons, and the Religious Life Center can guide you toward other opportunities.

Sophomores who have not chosen a major should do the following:

Do What You Are

Explore employment, volunteer, and/or internship opportunities that are related to your area(s) of interest; Career Services, Mercer Commons, and the Religious Life Center can guide you toward various opportunities.
Shadow someone who works in a profession that interests you.
Attend one of several workshops offered on Mercer's campus for students who are still exploring potential majors; check this website, as well as Career Services' website (http://www.mercer.edu/career/macon.html), for upcoming events.

The following list contains items to consider while planning your semester course schedule.

Review the online schedule of classes and your academic curriculum plan. Refer back to the online schedule periodically to ensure that no changes have been made to your preferred classes. Your major/minor/general education requirements can be found in your 2007-2008 catalog, online, or in the Office of Academic and Advising Services. Additionally, determine how often courses in which you are interested are offered (i.e. every semester, every fall, every spring, etc.).
Meet with your advisor to review your semester schedule. Don’t go into the meeting without a plan. Take ownership of your schedule! Know if courses in which you are interested have prerequisites, corequisites, or require consent of the instructor. If you are interested in an independent study opportunity, you must discuss your options with the individual instructor and department.
You advisor can provide you with more than your Registration Access Code (RAC). Come to the meeting with items to discuss, such as your future career/graduate or professional school plans. You advisor will also be able to point you in the direction of co-curricular or internship opportunities to help you meet your future goals.
If you are contemplating a departmental or college/school move, meet with a representative from the given department or college/school to ensure that you have completed all the necessary requirements for such a move.
Ensure that you don’t have any “holds” on your account. Holds will prevent you from being able to register. Your account status can be verified on BearPort.

Upcoming Events
The Office of Academic and Advising Services is planning several events geared towards helping students make the most of their sophomore year at Mercer. The following list of events outlines what we have planned for sophomores during the Fall 2008 Semester.

Friday, September 12 Making a MAJOR Decision will give you the tools needed to choose your major at Mercer (or at least narrow your focus) if you have not already done so. This program will be held at 10:00 a.m. in Penfield Hall, Room 112, and it will help prepare you for October’s Major Declaration events.

Wednesday, September 17 The Volunteer Fair sponsored by Mercer’s Center for Leadership

& and Volunteerism will introduce students to the many volunteer

Thursday, September 18 opportunities that exist in the Middle Georgia area. The fair will be held on both days from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in the Lobby of the Connell Student Center.

Friday, October 3 Exploring Study Abroad Opportunities will allow you to learn more about the details of a semester or year abroad. This program will be held at 10:00 a.m. in Penfield Hall, Room 112.

Monday, October 13 College of Liberal Arts Majors Expo will be a series of programs

through sponsored by the academic departments within the College of Liberal

Friday, October 17 Arts to provide exploring students with information about the major opportunities that exist in their given disciplines.

Friday, October 17 Getting to Know Career Services will provide you with an overview of the office’s programs including resume development and internship opportunities. This program will be held at 10:00 a.m. in Penfield Hall, Room 112.

Monday, October 20 CLA Major Declaration Days will give students who have completed

& at least 30 credit hours the opportunity to officially declare their College of

Tuesday, October 21 Liberal Arts major(s)/minor(s).

Wednesday, October 22 The Study Abroad Fair will show you the exciting abroad opportunities that await Mercer students. The fair will be held from 11:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. in the Connell Student Center.

Friday, October 24 The Graduate School and Internship Fair will be held from 10:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. in the University Center Arena (sponsored by Career Services).

Friday, October 31 The “Need to Knows” of Advising and Registration will get you

& up to speed about issues to consider as you plan your Spring 2008

Friday, November 7 schedule. This program will be offered twice on two consecutive Fridays at 10:00 a.m. in Penfield Hall, Room 112.

Friday, December 5 The Stress-Free Zone will equip you with some strategies to keep yourself sane and healthy in the midst of the end of the semester deadlines and final exams. This program will be held at 10:00 a.m. in Penfield Hall, Room 112.

Reminders about these programs will be sent out as they draw near.

If you have questions about any of the above programs, please contact the Office of Academic and Advising Services at (478) 301-2078. Please contact us also if you would like to see a program added to the schedule!

For more information about events that sophomores might benefit from attending, check out Career Services' Events Calendar at http://www.mercer.edu/career/macon/calendar.html.

Campus Contacts

The following offices provide services that sophomores may find especially helpful as they chart their educational and career paths.

Academic and Advising Services

478.301.2078

Campus Life

478.301.2868

Career Services

478.301.2863

College of Liberal Arts

478.301.2916

Counseling and Psychological Services

478.301.2862