Pick One is great example of how SST works. It began as a proposal from an SST action committee, but today is an established program that encourages new students to get involved in meaningful activities from the moment they arrive on campus. Students report that the program helps them establish connections, and that they’d recommend it to other students.
Getting involved matters. PICK ONE! is a SST initiative to communicate The University of Iowa’s expectation that all first-year students will get involved in an activity to enrich their educational experience. Faculty, staff, and students can support PICK ONE! by wearing a PICK ONE! button, posting a PICK ONE! flyer in their office or reception area, and by asking students at the beginning of the fall semester if they have registered their PICK ONE! selection. Students are expected to register their PICK ONE! selections by October 1st.
Learn more about Pick One! here: http://csil.uiowa.edu/pickone
The nine PICK ONE! categories include:
- Academic/Honors Opportunities
- Campus Employment
- Fraternities and Sororities
- Intramural or Club Sports
- Leadership
- Multicultural Activities
- Performing Arts
- Student Organizations
- Volunteering
Background
Data from Research on Iowa Student Experiences (RISE) and Student Success Team (SST) conversations indicate (1) the importance of student engagement for persistence and satisfaction and (2) concerns about the extent to which first-year UI students are taking advantages of opportunities to get involved in out-of-class activities. Discussions at the SST retreat in July 2007 generated widespread support for a “Pick One” effort.
