Sophomore Week encourages second-year student success

Sophomore year is a critical year for students, often a crossroads in their educational journeys. 

Many second-year students face questions about the future – their majors, academic paths and career goals – while at the same time receiving less structural support than they received during their first year in school. 

This, at times, leads to the so-called “sophomore slump.”

SDSU, recognizing the importance of the sophomore year, has created an annual series of programming tailored to second-year students aimed at keeping them on the path to graduation. 

Sophomore Week, an initiative out of the Office of the Dean of Students, is Feb. 10-14, and aims to celebrate and uplift second-year students with a series of workshops, discussions and skill-building sessions designed to enhance academic achievement, career readiness, and personal growth.

“Sophomore Week is all about making sure second-year students feel supported during this critical time in their college journey,” said Eunice Flores, an assistant director with the Center for Commuter Life, which is co-hosting Sophomore Week with Housing and Residential Education. “Unlike first-year students, sophomores often receive less structured support, yet they are making key decisions about their academic paths, majors, and career goals. This week is designed to reconnect them with campus life, introduce them to key resources and help them transition to their major advisors.

“Whether it’s through workshops, events or just finding the right support, Sophomore Week is about making sure students feel seen, supported and set up for success,” Flores said. 

SDSU officials have long identified sophomore year as a critical one as it pertains to retention and graduation. As a result, this year all students who live outside of SDSU’s service area are required to live on campus, which national and local statistics show increases the likelihood that students will remain in school and graduate on time.

SDSU implemented a series of programming called Sophomore QUEST beginning with a pilot program during the 2017-18 school year. 

Sophomore QUEST – Questioning, Understanding, Engaging, Succeeding and Transforming – aims to help students smoothly transition from their sophomore to junior years, and beyond, by providing them with leadership and independent living skills, academic and career planning and preparing them for so-called “high impact learning opportunities” later in college. 

Among the topics that will be discussed during Sophomore Week are moving off campus and leasing contracts, studying abroad, preparing for your junior year, budgeting and financial planning and how to prepare for the transition to upper-division coursework. 

“It can be confusing as a sophomore student to figure out your next steps as you are about to start your junior year,” said Alexa Mercado, a first-year graduate student who attended Sophomore Week events during her time as an undergraduate at SDSU. “Sophomore Week was a great opportunity to access a lot of help all in the same week and free food is always appreciated.”

For more information and a list of Sophomore Week activities, visit https://soquest.my.canva.site/s25.