Talking Stick - January/February 2014 - 31

Program (STEP) at The Ohio State
University in Columbus. The STEP
program, which brings second-year
students together with faculty within
the residence halls and connects them
with a variety of educational experiences,
opened in August of 2013 with 1,000
student participants and 50 faculty
members, who meet weekly in either
a cohort or house gathering. A cohort
consists of one faculty member and
about 18 students, and cohort meetings
are intended to promote dialogue and
small group interaction. Occasionally,
five cohorts come together for a house
meeting of about 100 students, who
participate in a variety of educational
experiences that best support their
academic and personal goals. House
meetings typically feature speakers
from units such as the Undergraduate
Research Office, the Office of
International Affairs, and the Career
Connection Center.
STEP participants who meet the
requirements of the program are
eligible to receive a $2,000 fellowship
at the conclusion of their second
year, which is designed to help them
have a transformative experience they
would not ordinarily be able to pursue.
Requirements include regular attendance
and active participation in the cohort and
house meetings, as well as attending at
least three cocurricular programs that
contribute to their development in one
or more of the following categories:
academic success/information literacy,
career exploration/preparation, global
citizenship, and health and wellness.
Students are also required to complete a
financial literacy program that consists
of an online module and face-to-face
coaching session with a trained financial
wellness coach.
Throughout the fall semester, STEP
students learn about the opportunities
that exist on campus within six defined
categories: internships, undergraduate
research, service learning, leadership,
artistic and creative endeavors, and
study abroad. In the spring semester,
they craft a written proposal, with the
guidance of their faculty member,
outlining which experience they hope

to pursue and how the fellowship will
empower them to do so.

IMPLEMENTATION
Prior to its official launch, STEP
was designed through several years
of collaborative discussions among
professionals from the offices of
student life and academic affairs.
Small committees were formed to
develop the programmatic vision, the
faculty and academic component,
and the communication strategy for
the rollout to campus constituents.
These committees reported to an

executive committee of administrators
and faculty. In order to build a strong
program that leveraged existing
programs, staff and faculty from units
and departments all across campus
were invited to serve on the planning
committees.

STUDENT
RECRUITMENT AND
APPLICATION
Recruitment for the pilot year of
STEP began in January of 2013.
With a target of 1,000 students, the
committee implemented an aggressive

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