GPS

GPS Wellbeing Sessions Spring 2023

Students enrolled in Gen Ed courses sponsored by the Academic Programs Office will attend ONE Wellbeing session hosted by Peer Health Educators from the Center for Health Promotion. Students will receive an email with registration instructions, and a schedule for when each topic is offered, in late February.

Disrupting Negative Thoughts:
In this session, you will learn why it’s important to question negative self-talk. Discover a useful tool and other strategies that can guide your practical thinking and disrupt unhelpful negative thoughts. This session will be helpful if your negative self-talk is specific, broad, or anything in between.

Mindfulness and Mindful Meditation:
In this session, you will learn about mindfulness and mindfulness meditation, and how you can benefit from them as a student. You will experience a brief mindfulness meditation exercise. This session will be particularly helpful if your mind tends to focus more on the past or the future and not much in the present.

Stress Management:
In this session, you will discover the importance of managing stress as a college student. Different kinds of stress, coping strategies, and practical tips to address stressors in your life will be discussed. Enjoy a brief guided imagery and take some time to just relax. Managing stressors when they’re small and connecting to resources if/when they become overwhelming are vital skills you will use as a college student and after you graduate.

GPS is a structure RAP employs to support first-year students in achieving a smooth transition to college, foster student success and satisfaction academically, personally and socially, while increasing retention and student progress toward graduation.

Most RAP courses embrace GPS which address the following goals:

Promote the importance of attending to personal wellbeing to increase student success.
Connect students to resources that enhance healthy living strategies that are essential for academic and personal success.
Ensure first-year students are aware of the multitude of academic and co-curricular opportunities available on campus and in the community.
Provide first-year students with structured guidance in the development/advancement of various skills necessary to be successful in college.

RAP course instructors address the following guidelines that incorporate the GPS goals:

Establish a dynamic classroom environment that creates a sense of community and supports first-year students in achieving a smooth transition to the college life
Encourage students to ask questions, speak out in class, and reflect on their learning.
Utilize technology opportunities such as Moodle discussion, sharing experiences, small group and/or individual activities and/or projects, etc.
Ensure that students are aware of the purpose and intent of each activity, exercise and assignment they are asked to do.
Integrate intentional dialogue about the Gen Ed program into the class. This is an opportunity to have students understand the value of the Gen Ed program for both the skills embedded as well as the benefit of exposure to breadth of information. See UMass Gen Ed for further details.
Require students to attend a RAP GPS Event. Details to be provided each semester.
Encourage students to seek academic assistance during scheduled office hours as well as through other support venues across campus (Learning Resource Center, major department, Peer Mentor, etc.).
Encourage students to develop connections/relationship with their academic advisors or advising office.

To further achieve the GPS related goals, RAP partners with numerous offices and programs across campus to create ways to help students get informed about and connected to the wealth of resources and opportunities available throughout their time at UMass Amherst. Depending upon the semester, GPS may offer student panels, conference style sessions and/or small group sessions on designated topics.

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Residential Academic Programs

Generating Pathways to Success (GPS)

GPS Wellbeing Sessions Spring 2023

Instructions to register for a session.

GPS is a structure RAP employs to support first-year students in achieving a smooth transition to college, foster student success and satisfaction academically, personally and socially, while increasing retention and student progress toward graduation.