The Junior Year – Overview
Major Themes: Loss of, and preparation for, study abroad, leadership development and leadership roles, wellness, career exploration, life skills, social connections.
Highlighted initiatives and programs:
- Study Abroad pre-orientation – preparing for navigating new cultures
- Leading campus from the middle: leadership, social norming, bystander intervention as a Junior
- Life Skills Workshops: living off-campus, navigating leases, budgeting while off-campus, cooking demonstrations.
- Year 3 programming on Career Services’ 4-Year Action Plan
Junior Year Checklist
Educational Engagement
- Explore Graduate School programs
- Note any dates for application and required materials.
- Ask a faculty member you trust if they know of any great programs, or if they will serve as a letter of recommendation moving forward.
- Look into GRE (or specific exams) testing dates, costs, methods, and locations near you.
- Explore GRE (or specific exams) prep workbooks and best test-taking practices. Make a study and practice group.
- Study Abroad
- Attend a Study Abroad info session or program.
- Plan out what Pitzer SA programs and countries look the most interesting to you.
Individual Development
- Career exploration
- Not sure about the first step out of college? Explore with this Career Interest Tool.
- Pick a few job titles you are interested in and search them on O*net.
- Explore what’s important to you
Building Community
- Attend a Student Organization that you went to in your first year, reflect on how you’ve changed since.
- Practice gratitude in the community
- Write a friend a physical, e-card, or send them a thoughtful text.
- Tell a Senior the impact they’ve had on you, how you’d like to stay connected after they graduate.
- Election Preparation
- Make sure you are registered to vote.
Diversity and Inclusion
- Find a book to read for your own growth. Form a discussion group to follow up with/keep you on track. Some possibilities:
- How to be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi
- My Grandmother’s Hands by Resmaa Menakem
- White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard For White People To Talk About Racism? by Robin Diangelo
- Attend a program or event offered by the Identity Board or student organizations.
Wellness
- Financial
- Mental Health
- Follow PZStrive2Thrive on Instagram for lot of information.
- Physical Health
- The Pitzer College Financial Wellness Center provides online resources on topics such as introduction to budgeting, credit vs debit cards, credit reports and scores, financial planning, types of financial aid (to name a few). Any Pitzer student may create an account and complete the online courses from the library at their own pace.
Highlighted Initiatives and Programs
Fall 2021 Programming Overview: Declaring a Major (click the graphic for more)
Connect with your Junior Year Co-Curriculum Team – 2021-2022
We are here to support you throughout your Junior year at Pitzer! Send us an email if you would like to connect or need some questions answered. We look forward to hearing from you!
- Cairo Briceno, Residence Life
- Lexi Lai, Campus Life
- Cortlyn Raymond, Campus Life
- Jill Hawthorne, Advancement
- Josh Scacco, Residence Life
- Miriam Merrill, PP Athletics
- Tammy Muir, Career Services
