“St. Olaf will develop a four-year plan to intentionally and fully focus on the whole person — intellectually, spiritually, physically, culturally and emotionally — with the clear outcome of higher retention and extraordinary student satisfaction. This focus for each student will include an integrated and holistic academic, personal and career advising and mentoring system for every student…. All students, regardless of background or circumstance, should have full access to a robust set of resources to meet their physical, spiritual and mental health needs as a part of this plan.”
Project summary from Board of Regents Task Force
Key Components
Oles are extraordinary, empowered change-makers – with an educational experience to match. A St. Olaf education is intentional and focuses on each student as a holistic person, learner, and doer. Through an embedded academic, personal, career advising and mentoring system, St. Olaf cultivates a blend of challenge and support that remains grounded in a sense of campus community and connection.
We recognize and uphold the developmental needs of collegians and the benefit of intentional guidance during the college experience, balancing the value of student agency in crafting an experience that is unique to each Ole. The four-year path cultivates a channel of meaningful touch-points for all students throughout their time on the Hill while uplifting purposeful advising and mentorship as well as championing student agency in the curricular and co-curricular realms of their St. Olaf experience. The Four-Year Development Path advances students through four co-curricular Threads – Belonging, Holistic, Career, and Impact – all anchored by the Curricular Core. By combining a fresh approach to leadership development, integrated career exploration activities, and common curricular experiences, the four-year path will not only be delivered with student development at the forefront, but will also provide a transformative, personalized experience that is distinctly St. Olaf.
A St. Olaf education embraces the entire undergraduate experience. Students learn not only in the classroom, but also in residence halls, rehearsal rooms, practice fields, worship services, student employment, and community organizations. These diverse learning opportunities work together to help students achieve a comprehensive set of college-wide learning goals.
It is not realistic for a single advisor to holistically support each student. Therefore, running parallel and aligned with the four-year development path, we envision a team approach to advising – one that supports every student equitably from their first day on campus. We believe that committed support from a team of caring advisors, mentors, and coaches extending across all four years of a student’s college experience is crucial to success, retention, and wellbeing. Student advising teams will intentionally attend to the whole person – academically, socially, emotionally, physically, spiritually, and vocationally when the time comes to explore life beyond the Hill. The For Every Ole team of advisors will provide a collaborative, holistic, distinctive approach to advising and allow St. Olaf College to stand out as a student-centered institution.
To ensure the four-year development path and advising teams are of the highest impact, all student populations must have equal and full access. We know that students from marginalized groups are less likely to feel a sense of inclusion and belonging, and they are less likely to retain than their majority peers. The College has made significant investments in this effort but must continue to lift up current and make additional efforts.
Alumni and Parent Relations and the Piper Center for Vocation and Career will launch Ole Mentorship Affinity Pods (or Ole Professional Mentorship Pods) to connect alums and students in small pods or groups based on self-identified industry interests and shared identity, with the goal of creating supportive connections that foster a sense of belonging and identity formation, and support exploration of academic interests and career paths. Designed to create connections based on shared identities and career interests and to support personal and professional development, Ole Mentorship Pods will provide an opportunity for participants to ask questions, seek guidance, share experiences and resources, and offer informal networks for career development.
EXECUTIVE SPONSORS
Enoch Blazis, Vice President for Advancement
Hassell Morrison, Vice President for Student Life
Marci Sortor, Provost and Dean of the College
OVERSIGHT GROUP MEMBERSHIP
Kirsten Cahoon, Director of the Piper Center, Chair
Brandon Cash, Director of Student Activities
Kathy Glampe, Director of the Center for Advising and Academic Support
Diane LeBlanc, Professor of Interdisciplinary Studies; Director of Writing Program
Lauren Feiler, Assistant Director of Institutional Research and Student Success
Shelly Dickinson, Assistant Dean of Academic Advising; Associate Professor of Psychology; Co-Director of Neuroscience
Deanna Thompson, Director of the Lutheran Center for Faith, Values, and Community and Martin E. Marty Regents Chair in Religion and the Academy
Carly Eichhorst, Director of Advancement Operations and Strategies