This course introduces students to the knowledge, attitudes, and inner resources needed to be an effective leader in their lives and in the outdoors. Participants will be involved with activities that require various degrees of teamwork, fun, trust, cooperation, and communication. Goals for each activity will be set by both students and instructors. Also, analogies will be made to real orientation and life situations whenever possible to demonstrate connections between learning and practice. Students will utilize their firsthand experiences to obtain the techniques needed to improve their leadership skills.
UCOL-U 200 Outdoor Leadership Experience
UCOL-U 201 Introduction to Mentoring Techniques
P: Must complete the application and selection process; must have acquired a mentoring assignment within an authorized University College program. This is an introductory course for students who will be serving in their first semester (year) as a student mentor. This course is designed to provide a foundation of mentoring knowledge such as the history of, nature of, and skills associated with mentoring. This will be accomplished through readings, discussions, and activities. Mentors will also be introduced to information about the university structure, active learning exercises to define and develop their own mentoring styles and skills, and the diverse needs of undergraduate students. Attendance, class participation, purposeful integration of information, and self-reflective writings are essential for success in this course.
UCOL-U 202 Mentoring: Active and Collaborative Learning
P: UCOL-U 201; must have acquired a mentoring assignment within an authorized University College program. This course is designed to help mentors learn more about mentoring using an appreciative mentoring process that applies to both group and one-on-one mentoring. This course will expand the mentor’s knowledge and skills by developing a deeper understanding of how students learn, collaborative learning techniques, and how to utilize collaborative learning to meet learning objectives in mentoring. Readings, discussions, and activities will be assigned in an effort to help mentors become acquainted with learning theory, techniques for engaging mentees in active learning, and refining their mentoring relationships.
UCOL-U 203 Mentoring: Leadership and Transition
P: UCOL-U 201 and UCOL-U 202; must have acquired a mentoring assignment within an authorized University College program. This course is designed to provide seasoned mentors the opportunity to explore and apply leadership theory and principles as they transition from their current mentoring role to the leadership of their individual mentoring program or other leadership opportunities on campus or in the community. Mentors will also be asked to develop plans for how their mentoring experiences can be applied to enrich their academic pursuits and career development.
UCOL-U 204 Mentoring: Independent Study
P: UCOL-U 201, UCOL-U 202, and UCOL-U 203; must have been awarded the University College Leadership Scholarship and acquired a mentoring assignment within an authorized University College mentoring program. This course is designed to provide seasoned mentors the opportunity to apply mentoring literature, knowledge, and experiences toward understanding their role in a holistic and personally reflective way.