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First-Year Simpson Colloquium - SC 101

A small, focused class for first-year students

Choosing an SC 101 course will introduce you to college academics and offer opportunities to build relationships with your advisor and friendships with other students.

Colloquium is a fancy word for a first-year seminar. At Simpson, the SC 101 course you choose seeks to integrate you into Simpson’s academic culture of engaged citizenship in your first semester on campus. The course has a few goals.

  • It familiarizes you with the tradition of liberal arts education through focused study of important issues – or “big questions.”
  • It gives you a solid foundation for future academic success, by focusing on essential skills (Written Communications and Critical Thinking) and introducing you to campus resources.
  • It gives you opportunities to grow personally and intellectually, so you can make a smooth transition to college.

You will choose and register for your SC 101 course before even participating in your SOAR day. There is a class for just about every interest. A list of SC courses can be found here so you can get an idea of the types of courses offered. You can register for SC 101 through an online sign-up form found on SC Connect. (Instructions for logging in to SC Connect are emailed to you once you have paid your deposit.)

Every SC 101 is a small (18 or fewer students) learning community. Two current students (an SC Leader and a Writing Fellow) and a Simpson professor – who will serve as your first-year advisor – will help you make the transition from high school to college.

To help you further understand the purpose of SC 101 and to guide you in selecting course options, we have prepared this video.

If you have any questions about SC 101, please contact Tracy Dinesen, PhD, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs at tracy.dinesen@simpson.edu