Steps to Leaps Initiative Launched
Student Life has launched Steps to Leaps, a campus-wide initiative geared toward bolstering student success. Steps to Leaps is based on a set of five pillars to help students build lifelong habits in areas such as well-being, leadership, impact-making, network building and grit.
Steps to Leaps offers goal setting, action planning, worksheets, short motivational videos and more for self-assessment or facilitator-led assessments to help students celebrate their strengths while learning paths to improvement.
Students may navigate the activity and assessment modules contained in a pillar on their own time. Faculty and staff may suggest Steps to Leaps to a student, hold group sessions or incorporate a pillar into a program already in place. Family members may suggest Steps to Leaps to a student who may be struggling or need confidence building. The modules are created as complete lesson plans that guide a facilitator through each step.
Several factors have converged to lead to the development of Steps to Leaps, said Beth McCuskey, vice provost for student life.
"First, our president and provost have challenged us to help our students become more resilient," said McCuskey. "Second, we have seen an uptick in students calling on our counseling and professional services with problems that have more to do with coping than mental health disorders. Third is the arrival of Generation Z students, who grew up with the Internet and social media, but also are very career-focused. They tend to have a history of being high achievers and haven't fully developed the shock absorbers needed to meet bumps in the road."
Steps to Leaps was created to support Generation Z students, with a goal of helping them further develop skills to maximize their talents while minimizing the stress and pressure they put on themselves.
The content areas, or pillars, are a broad representation of life skills that everybody can tap into and refine for themselves. "We have approached our model with the understanding that every Purdue student has enormous capacity and talent and, through engaging in these topics, can grow even more," McCuskey said.
A unique attribute of Steps to Leaps is that it taps into the strengths and talents of the broad Purdue community. "Faculty with research interests related to the five pillars are invited to join a research community focused on furthering our understanding of well-being and resilience," said McCuskey. "Led by Dr. Louis Tay, an organizational psychologist specializing in well-being research, we have already engaged with faculty across many disciplines, including communication, engineering, chemistry, and hospitality and tourism management."
Tay said, "The Steps to Leaps program is a holistic one focusing on the core aspects of improving student well-being. Among many, one of our goals is to lead the assessment of the key concepts that other universities can leverage, learn and eventually utilize."
Student groups are integral to the rollout, which will take advantage of a wide range of communication vehicles, including a hashtag campaign. Residence Hall advisors and student groups, such as the Purdue Student Government, are actively engaged.
Steps to Leaps helps students learn how to find and access Purdue's wealth of resources available through the Office of the Dean of Students. When a student has a challenge or a question, Purdue has the person and/or program to help or can offer input as to where to find assistance.
Skylar Clingan is one of the undergraduate students who helped develop Steps to Leaps.
"I am a first-generation college student," Clingan said. "So, Purdue has been a learning experience for me every step of the way. By working on the Steps to Leaps project, I hope to provide developmental resources for all Purdue students."
A Steps to Leaps Summit was held Sept. 30 in the Purdue Memorial Union ballroom. The open-invite kickoff featured lunch, a welcome by Provost Jay Akridge and introductions by McCuskey and Jenna L. Rickus, associate vice provost for teaching and learning. The event also included student panel discussion, breakout sessions and more.
The five Steps to Leaps pillars include:
Well-Being: Staying healthy in body, brain and spirit is a lifelong journey. Learn strategies to improve your own well-being with steps to security, health and prosperity.
Leadership and Professional Development: Boilermakers have a strong tradition of leadership in their careers and communities. Learn how to tap into your own strengths as you become the next generation of leaders with steps to initiative, guidance and direction.
Impact: Every Boilermaker strives to leave their footprint, and world-changing examples can be found throughout Purdue's rich history. Learn the importance of creating an impact through your everyday actions with steps to modify, touch and influence.
Networks: A strong network serves as a resource throughout your life. The tightest networks are created by connections with individuals, and require active participation. Learn how to build your network with steps to making connections and bonds.
Grit: Life is full of ups and downs. Learn strategies to tap into your inner fortitude to overcome challenges and become your best Boilermaker with steps to resolve and character.