Experience, Reflection, Action First-Year Program

Hello all, As the school year will be starting fairly soon, the ERA team is here to announce this academic year's main goals! ERA will: - See sustainability as multifaceted and important for everyone - Focus on social justice within each of these aspects - Aid the transition from high school to college - Promote hope, not dread We look forward to meeting every single one of you shortly!

Guest Speaker Announcement! Come join us on September 3rd to attend our first guest speaker seminar at ERA! We are pleased to welcome Christopher Darcy, the director of the first year experience program at Boston College. Please see the flyer down below for additional information and share with your peers! Stay tuned for more special announcements for each guest speaker that will be joining the ERA community! We look forward to seeing you all on September 3rd :)

Here is the final theme reveal! With AI advancing daily and new technology revolutionizing our lives, we must prioritize sustainable technology. Seeking a good human-computer connection and emphasizing the myriad ways our global community may benefit is key, as well as being aware of potential pitfalls. Thank you for following along as dove deeper into sustainability and stay tuned for more ERA updates!

Here is a little sneak peek into our fourth theme reveal! As budding psychologists and psych majors, we will examine what sustainable practice looks like in a non-profit organization and business world. How can we ensure we are listening to the communities we aim to serve and empower those same people? What does it look like to run a sustainable non-profit that cares about the lasting effects of its community and working towards a common goal? Comment down below on what you think that last facet of sustainability will be!

Ready for part 3 of the theme reveal? What does it mean to have sustainable schools? As budding teachers and psychologists, we must examine the systems in place for teachers and administrators as we work to fight burnout together. Additionally, we will be looking at how we best support our students and our school communities. Comment down below on what educational sustainability means to you!

Part 2 of the theme reveal! Another facet of sustainability we will be discussing this year is mental and physical health. Specifically, what might that look like for college students? How can we maintain a healthy balance in our lives? Drop a comment down below on one way you maintain your mental health!

Theme Announcement! The theme for ERA 2024/25 is "Sustainability: Promoting Growth and Wellness for Future Generations" Along with this announcement, we are also planning to share the different facets of sustainability that we will be discussing throughout the academic year. Today we are starting with ecological sustainability! In a world where climate change can feel like an impossibly large fight, we will be focusing on solutions and actions we can take as individuals and as a community. Comment down below and let us know what you think of when you hear the word "sustainability"

Experience, Reflection & Action First-Year Program! EXPERIENCE, REFLECTION & ACTION (ERA !)  In ERA, at the Lynch School of Education and Human Development (LSEHD), experience, reflection, and action are emphasized as three foundational steps of a continuous cycle that allows for personal growth, discernment, acquisition of new knowledge, and the ability to make positive impacts across personal, vocational, and avocational areas. ERA facilitates students’ adjustment to Boston College and LSEHD and successful growth across developmental domains via design-thinking and innovation workshops, key speakers, applied action projects, presentations, discussions, and community engagement. ERA connects first-year LSEHD students directly to mentors, including their LSEHD Undergraduate Dean, faculty, Doctoral, Master’s, and other upper-level undergraduates. The ERA three-credit course, spans the Fall and Spring semester. LSEHD students all receive an ERA section facilitator who helps serve the LSEHD Undergraduate Dean’s Office as their first-year advisor until they begin their second year at Boston College.

Experience, Reflection & Action First-Year Program! EXPERIENCE, REFLECTION & ACTION (ERA !)  In ERA, at the Lynch School of Education and Human Development (LSEHD), experience, reflection, and action are emphasized as three foundational steps of a continuous cycle that allows for personal growth, discernment, acquisition of new knowledge, and the ability to make positive impacts across personal, vocational, and avocational areas. ERA facilitates students’ adjustment to Boston College and LSEHD and successful growth across developmental domains via design-thinking and innovation workshops, key speakers, applied action projects, presentations, discussions, and community engagement. ERA connects first-year LSEHD students directly to mentors, including their LSEHD Undergraduate Dean, faculty, Doctoral, Master’s, and other upper-level undergraduates. The ERA three-credit course, spans the Fall and Spring semester. LSEHD students all receive an ERA section facilitator who helps serve the LSEHD Undergraduate Dean’s Office as their first-year advisor until they begin their second year at Boston College.

Audrey Smallwood '27 (Applied Psychology and Human Development) is making a difference in the lives of those struggling with food insecurity with her nonprofit Kitchens for Change. Smallwood, co-founder of the nonprofit organization, hails from a family with a rich legacy in the restaurant industry. Growing up, she witnessed how food brought people together and wanted to make a difference in her community. The organization utilizes local restaurant kitchens to prepare homemade meals and tackle food insecurity in Turlock, California. Audrey's passion for helping others and her organizational skills have been instrumental in the success of Kitchens for Change. Read more about her impactful work in this BC Heights article: https://bit.ly/4awNgsa