国产传媒

Fall classes start on August 21, but 42 students have already completed their first two courses thanks to Summer Pathways, which was held July 3-August 11. Coordinated by the Academic Support Center, Summer Pathways offers incoming first-year students the opportunity to get a jump start on their first semester at the Mount. Students enroll in two courses that run in a condensed format over five weeks. The program is also offered at a discounted tuition rate; students pay $235 for both classes.

The course offerings and cohort programming are designed to orient students to the rigors of college courses while also sharing the support resources available. Rony Morales, director of the Academic Support Center, reflects on its value: “It is an opportunity for students to connect in a new academic environment, providing them with skills to support their professional journey through college."

Ultimately, all new first-year students will receive this same support during the required First-Year Seminar (FYS), a course designed to help them transition to academic and co-curricular life at the Mount. The curriculum for the FYS includes discussions around 国产传媒’s mission, history and founding values; an introduction to available resources and support services; and a critical reading and discussion of the Common Campus Read, American Like Me by America Ferrera. For Pathways students, the program is an opportunity for them to dive into this material before the semester begins.

In addition to completing their First Year Seminar course over the summer, Pathways students choose between three subject courses: English, math or biology. This summer, all courses except biology (which was offered on campus) were offered in an online, synchronous format.

Christine Jun, PhD, taught Math 007 this summer, her first time teaching for Summer Pathways. She believes that the online modality is optimal for student learning, especially in this introductory context: “It affords a unique opportunity to reaffirm students’ math skills and alleviate any math anxiety.” She also notes that the “six-week class is designed to better ensure retention and genuine acquisition of math skills.”

Kenia Cox, an incoming first-year student from Los Angeles, is excited to officially start her Mount journey this month. She recently completed Jun’s Math 007 Summer Pathways course: “I recommend Summer Pathways to incoming first year students because it gives them an insight to some of the teachers at the Mount. They are nice and are always willing to help or take into consideration struggles you may have.”

Cox enrolled in Summer Pathways to prepare for the school year. “I feel more confident for the fall semester,” she says. “I was scared at the beginning because I thought the classes might be hard, but now I know there's people I can reach out to for help.”