Stay the Course Program

“If you can’t fly, then run. If you can’t run, then walk. If you can’t walk, then crawl. But by all means, keep moving.”

--Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Are you taking a break this semester? Let us help you make the most of your time off! The College of Humanities & Social Sciences (CHSS) Center for Professional Success is excited to offer several opportunities to help students remain engaged with Rowan, refresh their perspective on the world, and start on a path toward a career.

While taking a semester off can be rejuvenating, if used wisely, the time can yield other enriching opportunities for students to:

Build a foundation of academic and professional skills that will better prepare you for full-time coursework
Gain valuable, real world experience and boost your job prospects
Explore career paths while discovering hidden passions

Below, we highlight three different ways you can stay connected with Rowan and maintain momentum while taking time off.

Enroll in an Enrichment Certificate Program

We are offering three different certificate programs through which you can get exclusive access to live tours, expert faculty, and stimulating conversations on current events. Each program is offered completely virtually, making them easy to access no matter where you are.

The certificate programs being offered this semester are:

Community Activist Enrichment Certificate Program
Japanese Cultural Enrichment Certificate Program
Racial and Ethnic Equity Enrichment Certificate Program

At the conclusion of the program, all participants will receive a Certificate of Completion--a credential that you can include on your resume.

PRICING: Due to the resources necessary to provide the exclusive opportunities for each program, participants are responsible for a fee to join.

Early Bird Registration (Register by October 31st)	$85
Register between November 1st and November 8th*	$99

*Registration deadline is November 8th, 2020

If you anticipate the fee to be a financial hardship, you may be eligible for a competitive scholarship. Please email Assistant Dean Stephen Fleming at flemings@rowan.edu for more information.

Fall 2020 Enrichment Program Offerings

Community Activism Enrichment Program

With every presidential election year comes a reinvigorated sense of civic responsibility. Most often, we associate civic responsibility with politics and voting. It is, however more. It is broadly any constructive participation in the community. Despite their desire to have a positive impact in their community, many do not know how to proceed with the first step. This program will take you through a journey, which demonstrates leadership and community activism from the past and includes meeting with present day agents of change. After a series of reflective activities, you will be able to explore your values, connect with a cause and chart an action plan expressing civic responsibility.

This enrichment program includes the following sessions:

Introductory Meeting
Virtual guided tour of the National Consitution Center exhibit
How to Survive the Plaque Documentary Discussion
Why your Activism Makes a Difference Panel featuring:
- Sean O’Neill, Policy Scientist at the Biden School of Public Policy and Administration at the University of Delware
- Gerolly Lorenzo, Service Year Expansion Manager with the Philadelphia Mayor’s Office for Civic Engagement and Volunteer Service
- Jonathan Lovitz, Senior Vice President for the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce
Police Reform from the Inside and Outside: A Look at Major Changes from both Departments and Community Activism
Meet & Greet with Rowan's Student Government Association
Polling in the Trump Era and Beyond
Social Movement Showcase
Connecting Ethics with Change Workshop
Career Wrap-Up

Session dates and descriptions can be found at the registration page. Every session will be recorded, so if you cannot attend live, you will still have access to the content.

Interested in registering? Visit the Rowan Marketplace to enroll.

Japanese Cultural Enrichment Program

The unique and eclectic culture of Japan has fascinated those around the world for years. From entertainment to cuisine, American culture has been widely influenced by Japan, yet few are able to travel to the distant country. This program will take you on a journey that explores features of Japanese culture including history, literature, and language. First-hand accounts of those who lived and traveled to Japan will complement hands-on workshops. Take a trip abroad from your living room as we travel through the many elements of the Japanese culture.

This enrichment program includes the following sessions:

Introductory Meeting
Virtual Tour of the Shofosu Japanese House and Garden in Philadelphia, PA
Konnichiwa and Yokoso! A Langauge Workshop on Japanese Greetings and Basic Spelling
Haruki Murakami: Japanese Author, Global Audience
Japan Through our Students' Eyes
The Way of Harmony: Virtual Aikido Self-Defense Class
The Influence of Chopsticks on Japanese Cuisine: A Historical Overview and Sushi-Making Demo
Japan then and Now: The Impact of World War II on Contemporary Japan
Career Wrap-Up

Session dates and descriptions can be found at the registration page. Every session will be recorded, so if you cannot attend live, you will still have access to the content.

Interested in registering? Visit the Rowan Marketplace to enroll.

Racial and Ethnic Equity in America Enrichment Program

This year we witnessed protests against racial injustice across the country and the world. A byproduct of this contemporary civil rights movement has been a genuine desire among many Americans to become more educated and help influence change to establish equity for all. Unlike equality, which suggests equal opportunity for all, the pursuit of equity aims to proportionally open those opportunities to all regardless of their race, class, gender, sexual orientation or physical ability. To understand where we are going, we must understand where we have been. This program will take you on a journey through art, history, and literature to explore various forms of inequities and their historical roots and to help you take individual steps for change.

This enrichment program includes the following sessions:

Introductory Meeting
Virtual Tour of an African American Museum of Philadelphia Exhibit
How have our Inclusion Practices Become Exclusionary? A Discussion with Dean Nawal Ammar
Racial/Ethnic Disparities in the U.S. Labor Market: What can we Explore from the Bureau of Labor Statistics?
Deconstructing the Social Construct of Race: Biology and Archeology
Envisioning Racial Justice Workshop
Equity in the Arts Panel
I am not your Negro Documentary Discussion
Career Wrap-Up

Session dates and descriptions can be found at the registration page. Every session will be recorded, so if you cannot attend live, you will still have access to the content.

Interested in registering? Visit the Rowan Marketplace to enroll.

Do an internship now, get credit later!

You may choose to participate in an internship that you found yourself. These experiences are incredibly valuable as they provide hands-on experience and professional networking opportunities. The College of Humanities & Social Sciences recognizes these experiences as valuable and potentially worthy of academic credit. If you managed to secure an internship for the fall 2020 semester, we may be able to award credit for your experience in the spring 2021 semester when you return to Rowan.

You must be pre-approved to receive credit for your internship. To receive approval, complete the online Application for Credit and send it, along with a list of responsibilities for your internship, to Assistant Dean Stephen Fleming at flemings@rowan.edu. . You will receive a response to notify you if your internship has been approved. In the meantime, you will want to keep a detailed log of your hours at the internship site, as well as a list of accomplishments for each week. This information will be necessary for the course for which you will be registered in the spring.

Not sure where to start with finding an internship? We’ve compiled a list of websites that you can use to start your search for a virtual internship.

Chart your own Course

If you are looking for opportunities that you can do on your own time, you may want to consider these less time intensive, independent activities. While you cannot receive academic credit for these activities, they offer a valuable opportunity to gain work experience, explore career paths, and build professional relationships.

Conduct an informational interview. Conduct an informational interview with someone in the field in which you are interested in working. Learn more about informational interviewing here.
Attend a virtual conference or webinar. Many companies and professional organizations are offering conferences and webinars at little to no cost. These experiences offer an opportunity to network with professionals in your area of interest and engage with timely issues facing the field.
Pursue an internship. Internships offer hands-on experience, as well as an opportunity to network with those in your field of interest. Internships may be offered fully on-site, fully virtually, or in a hybrid format. You can start exploring internships around the country by visiting our list of job and internship boards.
Join a political campaign. As we navigate an election year, there are many opportunities to support the political process. Whether it be staffing a polling place or fundraising, political campaigns thrive off of the support from volunteers. The Rowan Institute for Public Policy & Citizenship offers a few resources to help you get started.
Apply for micro-internships. Micro-internships are short-term (around 40 hours) projects that students can be paid to complete. Rowan has partnered with Parker Dewey to provide students access to micro-internships being offered by companies all over the country. Click here for more information.
Conduct or join a service project. Service projects offer a unique opportunity to give back to your community. Often, people choose to engage in service that aligns with their hobbies or values. JustServe and VolunteerMatch are just two online tools that can help you find the volunteer opportunity that is right for you. If you are nearby, Rowan is looking for students to organize serve projects. Find more information here.
Take a professional development class. You can enroll in professional development classes such as LinkedIn Learning.
Explore other fields. While you may have a major in mind, you may want to use your time off to explore other fields. Read literature, learn a new language, read up on history or politics, or take up creative writing. Your exploration could ultimately lead to a new major or minor, or even a different career path.