What We Value
It is important for potential Success Initiative students to know what we value. While the following list and brief descriptions are
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not exhaustive, they will provide clear statements of some of the ideals and behaviors that we hold as essential to the organization.
The Liberal Arts Philosophy of Education
The Success Initiative is the liberal arts’ response to engineering schools’ co-op programs and business schools’ internships. Like co-op programs and internships, the Success Initiative
- Reinforces the core concepts of its underlying educational philosophy, and
- Complements the academic curriculum with a set of experiences outside the classroom.
Unlike co-op programs and internships, Success Initiative students:
- Do not have to prolong their undergraduate educations for the experiences,
- Do not have to leave the College for the experiences,
- Do receive major scholarship support for participation in the program,
- Do continue to be guided by professors and College staff, and
- Do continue to take part in the Success Initiative, even if studying abroad.
Integrity
Professional integrity is essential to the successful solution of complex problems. This means that work must be accomplished with fidelity to professional standards and must be subject to review. Student participation in the Success Initiative is governed by the Academic Honor Code of Wofford College. Reports for individual and team projects will be published so that host organizations, students and staff of Wofford College, and other interested parties can view the results.
Celebrations
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Recognition, camaraderie, joy, and mutual support and respect through celebrations are parts of the essential design of the Success Initiative. The high standard we place on celebrations is that they must be more than just entertainment for ourselves. We refer to the concept as purposeful fun—fun that serves others, or enlightens, or creates novel experiences in addition to entertaining.
Camaraderie
Success Initiative students share the challenges and benefits of associating in this highly selective learning community. Whether projects are designed primarily for individual development or for collaboration in teams, interaction and coordination with others will be necessary. With so many activities and such diversity, Success Initiative students will need to maintain open, cordial channels of communications. A representative group of students will act as an advisory committee to the professional staff. They will be expected to present and discuss any and all matters pertinent to policies, procedures, programs, and morale within our learning community.
Mentoring Relationships
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A successful learning community requires frequent, respectful, cordial communications. As such, Success Initiative students will meet weekly with at least one member of the professional staff and new students will be assigned to a student mentor. Additionally, project membership and leadership responsibilities will create the need for frequent interactions among students and staff. Weekly Reports in the forum and Think Tanks will allow SI students to communicate with a each other in a new aspect.
Performance
Our students are expected to give first priority to their academic work, and second priority to Success Initiative responsibilities. In doing so they are expected to be self-motivated, responsible, dependable, and attentive to the needs of others. Students will have time to participate in other activities as well, although scheduling conflicts will occur. When that happens, reasonable accommodations will be made if at all possible so that Success Initiative students can enjoy a variety of campus experiences. Nevertheless, the general priority of academics first, Success Initiative second, will guide our expectations.