Suggested Guide to Your Four Years at Pace

Pace University is committed to fostering student success throughout each student’s educational journey. Below are suggestions for each academic year. These guidelines are flexible and many suggested ideas can be substituted for different years or can be followed more than once. Please talk with your Academic Advisor about using this plan to make the most out of your four years at Pace!

First Year:

  • Meet with your Academic Advisor at least once each semester
  • If you have not chosen a major yet, or, would like to change your major, see an Academic Advisor in the Advising Center for Exploring Majors who can help you explore your options
  • Map out your curriculum plan for upcoming semesters with your Academic Advisor
  • Work with yourAdvisor to make sure you take a variety of core courses to help you explore various academic paths
  • Join campus organizations and clubs to develop new skills, network and build your resume
  • Participate in volunteer and civic engagement activities,attend Common Hour Conversations and Lecture Events, all through the Center for Community Action and Research (CCAR). You can connect to CCAR on social media as well
  • Meet with Career Services to learn about potential internships
  • Meet with a Career Services Counselor to help you explore career choices and draft a resume
  • ContactPace International to plan for a study abroad or travel course experience in your sophomore, junior, or senior year (remember to apply for the Gilman Scholarship)
  • Apply for a Watson Fellowship Opportunity with the Prestigious Fellowship & Scholarship Coordinator
  • Attend a financial literacy workshop
  • Begin working on your Pace Path by engaging in co-curricular activities and start to build relationships with offices such as Career Services, Student Development and Campus Activities, Office for Student Success, Center for Academic Excellence, Writing Center and Pace International
  • As part of the Pace Path, develop your customized four-year plan that establishes personal, academic, and professional goals; this will be done in UNV 101
  • Engage in the Pace Path Personal and Professional Development (4PD) series in the spring

Second Year:

  • Continue working with your Advisor to take core courses that will help you develop transferable skills and become more well-rounded
  • Join a campus organization and club
  • Get involved in Student Government; think about runningfor office
  • Investigate leadership development programs, including roles as Peer Leader, Tutor, Peer Mentor, or Orientation Leader
  • Attend career seminars and special topic workshops
  • Meet with a Career Services Counselor to explore internship opportunities in your field of interest
  • Work with your Career Services Counselor to develop a resume and apply for internships
  • Participate in volunteer or civic engagement activities through the Center for Community Action and Research or work within the Leaders in Civic Engagement (SLICE) mentorship program; volunteer as a committee leader on their Political Action Committee or apply for and attend an Alternative Spring Break trip
  • Plan to declare your major (and possibly a minor) at the end of your secondsemester, if you have not already done so
  • Meet with an Academic Advisor in the Advising Center for Exploring Majors to discuss majors and minors, if needed
  • Apply to the Pforzheimer Honors College if your QPA is 3.5 or above (students must have completed two semesters of full-time coursework at Pace)
  • Petition for membership to a national honor society
  • Participate in a semester- or year-long study abroad programor, register for travel courses.
  • With the assistance of professional and faculty Advisors, select and participate in Pace Path activities tailored to your individual four-year plan
  • As part of the Pace Path, begin to work with coaches/mentors identified by professional and faculty advisors

Third Year:

  • Map out your lasttwo years of courses with your Advisor and be sure to review your major worksheet to ensure you have completed the necessary requirements to date
  • Confirm you have officially declared your major (and minor, if you have one)
  • Do research with a faculty member whocan be your Faculty Advisor or a different faculty member, and can focus on graduate school, major-related internships and post-graduation interests
  • Investigate leadership development programs, including roles as Peer Leader, Tutor, Peer Mentor, or Orientation Leader
  • Continue working with a Faculty Advisor
  • Attend lectures on campus by scholars and business experts
  • Become a member of an honor society in your major
  • Meet with a Career Services Counselor to update your resume, research employers and industries and pursue an internship for the semester or summer; for a non-profit internship, contact The Center for Community Action and Research for assistance
  • Attend career fairs on- and off-campus to gather information and to network
  • Attend career seminars and special topic workshops
  • Pursue a new volunteer experience through the Center for Community Action and Research; work with a Civic Engagement and Public Value Faculty Member through the Faculty Assistants in Civic Engagement (FACES) Program; or investigate the Jefferson Awards nomination process which recognizes commitment to community service
  • Participate in a semester- or year-long study abroad program;register for travel courses; or participate in an Alternative Spring Break
  • Begin to think about applying to graduate school and taking admission exams
  • Investigate prestigious fellowship and scholarship opportunities, such as the Fulbright or Goldwater, through Office of Prestigious Scholarships and Awards
  • Continue working on your Pace Path; by the end of junior year, you will select coaches/mentors of your choosing, including: faculty and Advisors, undergraduate seniors, graduate students, alumni, or work or internship supervisors

Fourth Year:

  • Confirm you have met your graduation requirements
  • Continue working with a Faculty Advisor
  • Pursue a final internship in your chosen field
  • Attend a workshop on career development through community service and service-learning.
  • Work with a Civic Engagement and Public Value Faculty Member through the Faculty Assistants in Civic Engagement (FACES) Program, or investigate the Jefferson Awards nomination process which recognizes commitment to community service
  • Apply to graduate school and make sure you have taken any necessary admission exams
  • Meet with a Career Counselor to finalize your resume and develop your full-time job search strategy
  • Participate in the Career Services Campus Interview Program for full-time jobs after graduation and utilize Career Services’ online job database
  • Meet company recruiters and employment representatives at career fairs
  • Attend a financial literacy program for graduating seniors
  • Students in most majors should be connected to Pace Path coaches/mentors who do professional work in their chosen fields
  • Incorporate the Pace Path into your curriculum in the form of a capstone project, such as a research project, internship/clinical experience, or practical application