SLS1102, 0096 - Honors First Year Florida, Fall 2005

2. Journal-Blog Postings (10 points)
12 journal topics will be assigned throughout the semester. In order to obtain full credit for the journals, students must complete 10 of the 12 by posting to the class blog, worth 1 point each. Journal postings must be made by Sunday at 8pm, following each Thursday class. Each journal submission must be no less than 250 words and should be in proper grammer with correct spelling, syntax, etc. Please directly answer the questions assigned-- though you're welcome to write more or go off on tangents as long as you first respond to the assigned questions. We encourage you to engage in dialogue by responding to the entries of your classmates. Always sign your blog entry with your first name and last initial. Please note that you do NOT have to create a login for yourself to post to the blog. It is ok to post as "anonymous" just be sure to sign your name and last initial. Click here to access the blog: http://honorsslskjcd.blogspot.com

4. Gator Adventure Project (5 points)
At the beginning of the semester, you will partner with another class member to participate in the Gator Adventure Project. Each week a new pair will receive the class Gator. It is your responsibility to take the Gator to a location on campus that every UF student should know about. You must have a picture taken with the Gator at that location, and the next week in class you will have 5 minutes to present that location to the rest of the class. You must describe where you took the Gator, why that location is important for students, and any other interesting aspects of the trip. Feel free to share brochures or fliers from that location. No repeats! We encourage you to use powerpoint when sharing with the class. Also, we will create a section of the blog for posting the Gator Adventures and you must post your photo and description there too.

Out-of-class Involvement Pictures (14 points)
You will pick 7 out of the following 10 events/activities and include a picture of yourself at the event in your portfolio. Events/activities cannot double-count.
FYF Convocation (8/31) or Gatorfest (9/7)
Any Weeks of Welcome event (not including FYF Convocation or Gatorfest)
Class Community Service Project
Gator Adventure Project
Faculty member from faculty interview
Any event sponsored by SHO, Honors Ambassadors, Campus Connect, or Honors Office
In the Honors Office with an Honors employee OR with the professor for your Honors class (not FYF)
Cultural or Performing Arts event on campus
Athletic event on campus
Gator Nights

Degree Audit Print-out (3 points)
You can print a copy of your degree audit from ISIS. Please bring this to class on October 27 when we discuss course registration for the spring semester. Don’t forget to put the audit back in your portfolio!

Mystudentbody.com Certification (3 points)
Once you have completed the list of tasks, print your certificate of completion for your portfolio. The entire process should take close to an hour.
Go into www.mystudentbody.com as an “Unregistered User.”
Login using the UF School Code, “GATORS.” Select your own user name and password.
Indicate that you visiting MSB-Alcohol as a requirement.
Under Course Info Select: First Year
Follow the directions to complete the login. Remember to login as a “registered user” using your User ID and Password for subsequent visits to the website.
Complete the quizzes and surveys to receive your certification.

Resume (5 points)
You will need to prepare a 1-page resume that you could use for leadership applications, internships, scholarships, or other position requiring a resume. Bring this resume to class on November 10 for the resume/interview workshop. After the workshop, you will need to update your resume based on feedback from class and submit the final version in your portfolio.

500-word Personal Statement (5 points)
You will need to prepare a 500-word personal statement that could serve as a springboard for future graduate school or scholarship applications. The topics outlined in a personal statement many times will transfer to topics discussed in an interview for leadership positions, internships, and other opportunities. Your personal statement can focus on your interests and achievements, your capacity for leadership, your commitment to serving your community or utilizing your talents to improve the lives of others, or another related area.

Bring a draft of your personal statement to class on September 22. You will switch statements in class and provide feedback for the statement you receive. Your feedback to your partner will be due on October 6. You then will utilize the feedback you receive from your partner to create a final draft of the statement for your portfolio.

Faculty Interview (5 points)
Interview one of your faculty members (not a TA) that you have this semester. Note the tips on p. 26 of the Handbook. Following the interview, write a 2-page reflection paper about what you learned, what you got out of the experience, and how you might plan to interact with more faculty members. Don’t forget to give your faculty member plenty of notice before interviewing them, and thank them when you are done. This assignment is due by October 20.

Questions to consider for your interview:
How did you choose your particular field? Did you ever want to do anything else?
Where did you go to school? What activities were you involved in? What teacher had the greatest influence on you and why?
What do you like best about teaching? What do you like the least?
Do you have a philosophy of teaching?
What were your greatest concerns when you were a freshman?
How do you think the freshman experience has changed since you were a freshman?
What skills do you think students must have in order to succeed in college?
How would you describe the ideal student?

Diversity or Civic Engagement Assignment (5 points)
Choose 1 of the following topics, and write a 2-3 page paper. Paper is due the last day of class (in your portfolio). Activities or experiences you have achieved in the past are unacceptable.

Civic Engagement:
Identify an issue important to you at the campus, local, state, national or international level. It can be any public issue - whether the City Commission should allow bars to stay open past 2:00am, whether Bright Futures should be preserved, CAFTA, AIDS at home or in Africa, the costs of prescription drugs, etc. Identify one or two groups on each side of the issue. Summarize their arguments about the issue. It's okay to form your own opinion about each side of the argument, but you need to be able to state both sides of the issue. Name three things you could do to get engaged with that issue. Again, the goal is not to argue the different positions on an issue, but to explore how to educate yourself about an issue and how to become engaged in it.

Diversity:
Select and become involved in a cross-cultural experience designed to help you gain knowledge of and awareness in culturally diverse students. For the purpose of this experience, "marginalized" may refer to one's ethnicity, religion, socio-economic status, sexual orientation, gender, or physical ability. Following your experience, write a 2-3 paper including the following:

Identify the marginalized group you selected and why this group is considered “marginalized”.
Briefly describe the diversity experiences you selected.
Discuss your feelings or reactions, what you learned, and how you have grown personally.
Discuss how your experiences may impact your behaviors and attitude as an individual.

The following are some suggested ideas for experiences:
Attend a lecture that focuses on the issues and concerns of marginalized peoples/groups.
Read a book or article about the marginalized group.
Make a tour of communityof marginalized people and note the community’s environment such as quality of homes, behaviors of people and other unique aspects of the community.
Watch a movie or video that depicts cultural practices of a marginalized group.
Attend a religious service of a predominant marginalized group.
Attend an event, activity or program sponsored by the marginalized group.

Final Reflection Paper (10 points)
Include a 2-3 page final reflection in your portfolio. This reflection should include your action plan for your undergraduate career at UF. Which of the undergraduate opportunities (service, leadership, overseas study, internships, research) are you interested in pursuing? How do you plan to pursue them? What else would you like to accomplish at UF?