Indiana University Bloomington and other campuses participated in the pilot program for the 21st Century Scholars Collegiate Scholar Success Program (CSSP) during the 2019-2020 Academic Year. Developed from best practices found in higher education, the CSSP provided an opportunity for the state to roll out new requirements and obtain feedback before the official 2020-2021 release date. The importance of this new CSSP is to support the 21st Century Scholar in positioning themselves for success in the job market.

Traditionally, scholars were required to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) with the university, enroll in 12 credit hours, complete 30 credit hours each academic year, and complete the FAFSA. The focus was on the academic journey and graduation within four years. The new vision embodies the reality that this is one aspect of the college experience. To be successful, a student must progress academically from year to year, but they must also pursue career development activities in the same manner.

The College Scholar Success Program requires a few additional items. The scholar must identify a mentor to encourage them and provide social capital as they acclimate themselves to the college environment. This listed mentor can change according to their growth area and need as the student progresses from year to year. Each year, the student must take advantage of one College Engagement Activity and one Career Engagement Activity. Please view the included graphic for the listed activities under each heading.

The beauty of the CSSP is that the resources for students to meet these requirements exist on most campuses or in the discussions taking place on most campuses. It presents an opportunity for college administrators and staff to engage in a dialog to promote collaboration among different departments and offices across campus. In some cases, it may encourage establishing or revitalizing relationships with employers in the community.
As an example of collaboration, the Bloomington 21st Century Scholars Program and the Office of the Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Multicultural Affairs have cultivated a strong relationship with the Career Development Center and the other career offices on campus. These collaborations continue to grow as we explore opportunities to infuse a career development focus throughout our program initiatives.

Authored by Vincent Isom, Director of the 21st Century Scholars Program and
Fellow for the Thomas I. Atkins Living and Learning Center, Office of the Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Multicultural Affairs