New program encourages students to expand learning

The new Pathways to Distinction program provides students with an opportunity to expand on their experiences at CSB+SJU in a way that goes beyond the classroom.

The program, headed by Lindsey Gunnerson Gutsch, the director of Undergraduate Research & Scholars at Experience and Professional Development (XPD), seeks to connect students with key values and goals of CSB+SJU and give purpose and meaning to their progression through the Integrations Curriculum.

“We were trying to think about what it would look like to really re-envision what distinction means,” Gutsch said.

Gutsch began brainstorming this concept in 2019 alongside others in the undergraduate research program. The group gathered information from various committees on campus made up of students and faculty to eventually create the framework of Pathways to Distinction.

The process begins in students’ first year with the required College Success course which marks the beginning of the Integrations Curriculum. Students will then have an opportunity to “opt in,” which sets in motion the selection of a Pathway and the creation of a personal plan. From there, the program guides students through the next few years toward achieving the distinction of their choice.

The five different focuses, based on CSB and SJU’s Institutional Learning Goals, include Engage Globally, Embrace Difference, Think Deeply, Serve Graciously and Live Courageously. Each is made up of a combination of required and elective work, which may include a semester abroad, a distinguished thesis or community service. The culmination of all of these is approval by the Pathways Committee and special recognition at graduation. According to Gutsch, the program is meant to be accessible to every kind of student.

“We really wanted it to be students choose their own adventure. They pick things that are important to them,” Gutsch said. “It’s not meant to be a massive checklist of things we want students to do.”

The immediate effect of Pathways varies by class. The program is in its first phases of implementation, with information about the program being announced in first-year College Success classes as early as this week.

Enrolling in Pathways is open to first-year and sophomore students, and the class of 2025 will be the first to be able to receive these distinctions. Gutsch hopes announcements and information sessions to come will help encourage sophomores to enroll. For juniors and seniors, who will not be able to actively participate in completing these distinctions, the role is a bit different.

“We of course want juniors and seniors to be involved as kind of spokespeople and say ‘this is a really great opportunity, I always wanted some type of distinction like this for myself,’” Gutsch said.

In addition to this, juniors and seniors are invited to become Pathways Guides, who receive training to be able to mentor Pathways students through the program.

“It was good experience to give me lots of great information to pass along to students who are considering and in the program,” said Emily Kieke via email, a CSB senior and an Undergraduate Research Hub Ambassador who has gone through the Pathways Guides training herself. “I think that other juniors and seniors should consider this opportunity because I wish we had this opportunity with our cohorts.”

As of now, about 15 faculty members have gone through the first round of training to be Pathways Guides. Gutsch said these trainings will continue to be offered throughout the year with the hope that more upperclass students will participate.

“It’s kind of a call to action to them that if they really value that in and out of the classroom experience they’ve had so far, hopefully they’d be interested in being ambassadors as Pathways Guides,” Gutsch said.

Other CSB+SJU students have already begun interacting with the program. Rylie Owens, CSB first-year, wants to pursue a Pathway to invest in their future.

“It seemed really interesting, as I think it’s important to set yourself apart from other graduates, especially in competitive fields,” Owens said via email.

CSB sophomore Madeleine Vargas was introduced to Pathways during her RA training.

“My reason for enrolling in Pathways is to develop as a person in professional settings and explore different opportunities in which I wouldn’t see a direct path to in my career. This program is an amazing way to learn how to develop into a leader if you don’t know where to start,” Vargas said via email.

Pathways officially kicks off for sophomores this November. Despite the many reasons students may enroll in Pathways, the most compelling reason for participation, in Gutsch’s opinion, is the real-life experience with the five learning goals.

“This is our promise to our students when they enroll; that by the time they graduate, they meet those five learning goals,” Gutsch said. “They [Pathways] can give you tangible takeaways on how you did meet those goals. We’re holding true on our promise.”