Enticed with colorful banners, Teddy Grahams and a wide assortment of candy, students considered their long-term academic plans with various department representatives at Tuesday's Sophomore Majors Fair.
The event was held in the Bryan Center as part of a joint initiative between the Pre-Major Advising Center and the Division of Student Affairs to reach out to sophomores early in the major selection process. The first such fair in recent memory, it was also part of a broad move by the administration to further centralize the sophomore class on West Campus.
"[It was an] opportunity to inform the sophomores about the various academic opportunities here," said Norman Keul, PMAC director.
One of the main benefits, he said, was to expose sophomores to lesser-known opportunities, such as certificates in unusual subject areas that not everyone would know about. Smaller departments with limited presences on campus had the opportunity to gain some exposure at the fair, said Richard Forward, director of undergraduate studies at Beaufort Marine Laboratory.
"It allows us to talk about what we have to offer in our various majors," said Forward, who is also a professor of zoology. "The publicity was very effective in reaching out to the students."
Sandy Swanson, a staff assistant in the Program in Literature, said she was glad that the event allowed the program, one of the nation's most prestigious, to "just let people know that we're here."
Keul also said that the fair exploited the new residential arrangement to deliver academic services more seamlessly��this is the first year all sophomores have been required to live on West. Some sophomores said, however, that the majors fair had little impact on the administration's initiative to create more class unity.
Most students reported the fair was very helpful and found the accessibility of the professors in each department, in a comfortable atmosphere, to be particularly valuable. However, sophomores said they especially enjoyed talking with upperclassmen enrolled in various majors, as a way to gain a student's perspective on the department.
Junior Kumar Sukhdeo, assisting the biology department, said the event came at a critical time when sophomores ask themselves, "Where am I going to be spending the next two-and-a-half years of my life?"
Although sophomores were the fair's focus , students from all undergraduate classes were able to take advantage of the event. Ann Marie Rasmussen, an associate professor manning the booth for the Germanic languages and literature department, said she had been talking with freshmen thinking ahead about their majors and juniors considering a minor.
Keul said he has been approached by many juniors and seniors who said a similar event would have been helpful when they were freshmen and sophomores. Organizers said they are looking forward to making it an annual event, and they are considering a similar program in the spring for freshmen prior to registration.
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