By SUNSHINE OSELLA
Features Editor
Published September 20, 2011
The College of Saint Rose offers many free services of which the students can take advantage. And now there is another: Knight Skills. The combined efforts of the Academic Support Center, Counseling Center, Athletics, HEOP/Access, Spiritual Life, Student Solution
Center, Student Affairs and Residence Life have created this new program.
Jay Hamer, Director of Counseling and Psychological Services, said that Knight Skills is a series of programs for students designed to increase resilience, or the ability to handle the natural obstacles and challenges of life. This program is geared towards Freshmen and Transfer students, although it is open to all students.
Knight Skills programs cover a wide variety of topics including: getting involved on campus, using the library and technology, time management and study skills, taking charge of your health, navigating sexual relationships, exercise and nutrition, and managing emotions. “We are hoping to help students develop the personal skills required to meet the challenges of academics and life,” said Hamer.
The sessions are offered three times per week – Sundays at 4 p.m. in Brubacher, Mondays at 7 p.m. in Lima, and Thursdays at 7 p.m. in Carondelet. Jen Richardson, Director of Residence Life, said that Knight Skills programs are meant to be 30 minute programs that will engage the students and help them throughout the semester. “We want to offer students the chance to know what resources are available to them and where they can go to get more information,” said Richardson.
Residence Life’s role has been to assist with the overall coordination of the program. Richardson said this includes getting residents to the sessions, and assisting with presenting when it is appropriate.
Hamer said the counseling center designed and wrote all the core resilience modules. “We are presenting most of the core modules,” said Hamer. “Several speakers have been recruited to do specialized modules. We are hoping to involve other areas in Student Affairs to partner in the presentation of the programs.”
Richardson said that every time a student attends a session, they will get a card stamped. There are three levels of cards: Passion, Knowledge, and Purpose. She said once one card is filled up, students will get a second card – the more sessions students attend, the larger the raffle item that they will be entered for at the end of the semester. There will be multiple gift cards to raffle off to the students including: iTunes, Barnes and Noble, Regal Cinemas, Starbucks, and Master Card. There will also be giveaways at some of the sessions for the students who attend.
Richardson said that Residence Life would be interested in hearing student feedback as to how the program has gone. They would like to know what additional topics students would like to see and how it can be improved. “The goal is to give students what they need and want to be successful so we want to make sure we are doing that,” said Richardson.
“We also hope that after offering this program for this first year, we are able to grow the program in the future and get more students involved – even in the role of presenting,” said Richardson.
The sessions being offered the week of September 18 is Time Management and Study Skills. The week of September 25 is entitled “Now You Are In Charge of Your Health,” presented by Health Services. For information about the sessions being offered in October contact Residence Life: (518) 454-5295 or Counseling and Psychological Services: (518) 454-5200. the week of September 18 is Time Management and Study Skills. The week of September 25 is entitled “Now You Are In Charge of Your Health”, presented by Health Services. For information about the sessions being offered in October, contact Residence Life: (518) 454-5295 or Counseling and Psychological Services: (518) 454-5200.
