The Center for the Junior Year is an innovative center designed to break down barriers
to student academic success. Working with academic advisors and trained peer
success coaches, students have a “safe zone” to share their concerns, personal
and professional, and “design” solutions that fit their particular educational
circumstance. The peer success coaches and academic advisors help students
develop a better understanding of how to design the five basic components of
their undergraduate education: integrating study in general education, study in
the major, electives, leadership opportunities, and experiential learning
opportunities specific to students’ academic interest. From their work in the
CJY, students are better able to engage with program advisors, faculty, career
services, and student leadership.
Breaking down barriers to student academic success means
more than helping the student directly. CJY also provides professional
development to faculty on how to better mentor students to help them reach
their full potential. We also work with Dual Degree Program staff and use
technology to provide services to DDP students at the community colleges and
make their GSU experience more seamless. We work with multiple offices on
campus (career services, academic advising, honors program, student services)
to provide holistic educational solutions to serve the student before, during, and
beyond the junior year.