First Year Students Sophomore Students

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First Year Students
Key Dates and Events

 

"Well what do you want me to say?: Demystifying college discourse”
August 16, 17, or 19

College is a conversation. After more than a year of remote learning, how do we join that conversation in a diverse, exciting community? How do students balance respect for one another with openness to new ideas? What are professors and classmates looking for in our participation? Join SPA’s Project on Civil Discourse and its director, Lara Schwartz, for a conversation on:

• Free speech and academic freedom
• Listening and communicating in good faith in a learning community
• What college level class participation means
• Collaborative problem solving

Register:

August 16, 5-6 PM ET
August 17, 6-7 PM ET
August 19, 2-3 PM ET

First Year Move-In
August 24-27 | All Day

 

Bender Arena Convocation Ceremony
August 28 | 11AM ET

The opening Convocation marks an important beginning for you, our newest Eagles! Please join us as the SPA and larger American University community welcomes you to campus.

SPA Academic Welcome with Dean Vicky M. Wilkins and Special Guests
August 28 | 1:30PM ET | Kerwin 1

Dean Wilkins will welcome SPA’s first year students to campus and share well wishes from the larger SPA community. Watch the video.

Dean's Office Hour
September 1 | 4-5PM ET | Kerwin 300

Come by Dean Wilkins’ office to say “hi” and pick up your SPA branded convocation pin.

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Sophomore Students
Key Dates and Events

 

Sophomore Move-In
August 22-24 | All Day

 

University-Wide Sophomore Welcome Event
August 24 | 7PM ET | Bender Arena

This is an in-person event and masks are required.

"The State of Public Affairs at AU" with Dean Vicky M. Wilkins
August 25 | 2PM ET | Quad between Kerwin Hall and Kogod

This is an in-person event and masks are required.

Join Dean Wilkins as she welcomes our sophomore class to campus, talks about trends and issues within the fields SPA students study, faculty research that addresses these trends/issues, and how SPA will help prepare students for the future.

"Well what do you want me to say?: Demystifying college discourse"
August 25 | 2:30-3:30PM ET | Quad between Kerwin Hall and Kogod

This is an in-person event and masks are required.

Join SPA’s Project on Civil Discourse and its director, Lara Schwartz, for a conversation on:

• Free speech and academic freedom

• Listening and communicating in good faith in a learning community

• What college level class participation means

• Collaborative problem solving

SPA Sophomore Ice Cream Social
August 25 | 3:30-4PM ET | Kerwin Hall Lobby

This is an in-person event and masks are required.

Come and meet to your fellow SPA students, as well as faculty, over a scoop (or two!).

Pizza with Professors: Research Methods Faculty
August 26 | 4-5PM ET | Kerwin 301

This is an in-person event and masks are required.

Grab a slice of pizza and meet SPA Profs. Kimberly Cowell- Myers, Suat Cubukcu, and Silvia Seo-young Kim for a conversation on the research methods courses at SPA, what to expect, and why we require them.

Pizza with Professors: First-Generation Faculty
August 27 | 3:30-4:30PM ET | Kerwin 301

This is an in-person event and masks are required.

Dean Vicky M. Wilkins, Key Executive Programs Director Patrick Malone, and SPA Prof. Korneliya Bachiyska will meet with first-generation college students, talk about their own experiences as first-generation students, and offer advice.

Pizza with Department Chairs & Directors of Undergraduate Studies
August 31 | 5:30-6:30PM ET | Kerwin 301

This is an in-person event and masks are required.

JLC Chair Bill Davies, Government Chair David Lublin, and Directors Claire Griggs (JLC) and Jeremy Janow (Government) will talk to sophomores about these majors and what will be expected of SPA students pursuing them.