IU 172C New Student Seminar [CRN 79909]

Overview of Course

This seminar course seeks to prepare Start at Sea students for their transition to college and beyond. Course materials, readings, and discussions/dialogue sessions will help students learn about themselves and how their personal experience informs values, skills and interests that prepare them for success in their academic, social, and professional aspirations. Students will assess their own interests and aptitudes, learn how to be successful academically, and how to develop meaningful relationships. Start at Sea students will explore global cultures through art, stories, music, food, and consideration of everyday practices of communities. Students will sharpen critical thinking skills by examining cultural artifacts and narratives that challenge assumptions, broaden perspectives, and help them to better understand how people make meaning in different cultures. Through reflective assignments and activities, this course aims to support personal growth, academic success, and cultural competence as students discover who they are as learners and global citizens. Intentional dialogue will help students unpack contemporary global issues, develop social awareness, and learn how to navigate cultural differences with confidence and respect.
The course integrates the Designing Your Life framework (Burnett & Evans) with seven Start at Sea competencies: study skills, communication, belonging, academic readiness, institutional navigation, cultural intelligence, and community building. These competencies are woven throughout all 25 sessions and explicitly aligned to the voyage calendar.