Your Success Track

You’ve completed an important first step in this course, by finishing the College Success module! May the new skills and strategies you’ve gained serve you well not only in this course, but at also in other classes this term and beyond.

Application of Ideas

Consider this talk by Freeman Hrabowski, president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). At the young age of twelve, he marched with Martin Luther King, and now, at UMBC, he works to create an environment that helps underrepresented students—specifically African American, Latino, and low-income learners—get degrees in math and science. In the following video, he shares the four pillars of UMBC’s approach. It’s an inspiring talk for any college student, no matter what your major may be. You can also read the transcript.

Symbols of Success

As you move more deeply into student life, consider selecting a symbol of your commitment to success. Consider your personal definition of “success” you determined earlier in this section. What would a physical representation of that success look like? Many people consider graduation caps or diplomas as symbols of college success.  If those are meaningful to you, consider one of those as an option.  Alternatively, yours can become more personal–an item that speaks to you as a sign of what you’re working towards, and how you’ll know you’ve “made it.”

Some ideas from previous students include:

• a stethoscope, for an aspiring medical student
• a set of professional salon scissors, for an aspiring beautician
• an office door nameplate, for an aspiring law student

Once you find a meaningful symbol—perhaps an object or an image or even an idea—keep it in a place where you can easily access it. In moments when you may need a boost, you can remind yourself that college success begins and ends with your commitment to learning well.

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