Cooperative Education – Developing Leadership Skills
As we wrap up the Fall 2020 semester and near the end of the year, we can't thank our faculty and staff enough for working so diligently to prioritize safety while still delivering top-notch education and an active campus life. We couldn't be more proud of their efforts as well as the level of understanding and determination our students had to turn what could have been an uneventful semester into an unforgettable and rather memorable start to their American education! In this article, current ACN student, Cecily Buch reflects on her experience being involved on campus and the level of enrichment it has brought to her college experience.
This semester, ACN offered a one-credit elective where students worked with ACN’s Director of Marketing and Events, Nick Favero to help create engaging and inclusive events and projects for the college and community.
In Cooperative Education, our instructor, Nick encourages us to take charge and lead with teamwork. The benefits of great teamwork are that it increases the ability to first and foremost work with different people across various fields but also to develop ideas and create the best possible outcome of an event or a gathering. Taking part in on-campus activities and student clubs help provide a well-balanced life both inside and outside of school while still developing and maintaining skills and friendships.
During this semester, and amid the COVID-19 pandemic, campus life has been an outlet where students can take part in school spirit activities and it has been very beneficial in creating a healthy balance of togetherness during this troublesome time. This fall, we created multiple events that celebrated Homecoming Week, Halloween, the 2020 election, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. To celebrate, we worked together to create and hang up unique decorations based on the theme of the event. We also safely prepared delicious snacks aligned with the various themes for the events.
Usually, ACN would have a large-scale Haunted House with hundreds of guests, nonetheless due to the national guidelines the school canceled the event to prioritize safety. To keep the Halloween spirit alive, we decorated the school and had a festive costume contest. We also had a pumpkin carving contest which was a first for many of the Norwegian students. By creating events and encouraging the student body to take part in the entire production, from budgeting and planning to working on the final touches — it creates belongingness within the campus society, which has shown to increase happiness and school spirit among the students. It also boosts the possibility of getting to know people from various fields of study and invites them to work with people from different backgrounds with their unique talents, skills, and strengths.
Campus activities and clubs have also been able to show the advancements of the students’ performance in school by developing better communication skills, the importance of teamwork, and a stronger work ethic. Additionally, being involved on-campus looks great your college and job applications because it shows professionals that you have more than just your academic performance to bring to the table. Furthermore, being an active part of the community shows your level of commitment and engagement outside of the classroom.
The college experience so many ACN students have been looking forward to has already started thanks to the staff who work so hard to create an active campus life, even during a global pandemic. These opportunities have been crucial in creating friendships as well as developing an extensive network and improving our leadership skills before heading to the U.S.
I am thankful for this opportunity as it has given me numerous skills I will use throughout my academic and professional career. Thank you Nick and the rest of the ACN team for working so hard to ensure a sense of community during these uncertain times. We all appreciate your level of commitment to student success.
