What is it?
The Residential Curriculum within Housing and Residence Life creates an intentional way of promoting experience in the Academy’s residence life program that allow for students to develop the necessary skills to allow them to become successful in and out of the classroom.
Educational Priority
At the culmination of the residential experience, students will be independent and responsible individuals who demonstrate sustainable, equitable, and ethical practices in their current and future communities.
Goal 1: Social Responsibility
Narrative: As a member of the IMSA community, it is essential that students understand how their actions affect others and impact the world around them/globally. We challenge our students to develop sustainable skills which include being mindful, accountable, virtuous members of the IMSA community and society at large.
Learning Outcomes:
- Understand and follow IMSA policies and the responsibilities of all IMSA students
- Students will engage in educational experiences that differ from their own cultural upbringing
- Students will promote an equitable environment
- Students will foster respect for self, others, and the community
- Students will engage in interactions outside of their comfort zone
- Students will recognize, develop, and apply sustainable practices
Goal 2: Life Skills
Narrative: In a residential environment, it is imperative that students learn skills that will help them lead healthy, independent lives in their adolescence and beyond. Students will display growth as/evolve into competent, self-sufficient individuals that are capable of overcoming personal and professional challenges.
Learning Outcomes:
- Students will demonstrate competence in skills essential to thrive in a professional setting
- Students will demonstrate competence in personal life skills required to live independently
- Students will practice steps for positive decision making
- Students will develop an ethical mindset to approach difficult situations
- Student will identify & utilize various campus academic resources
Goal 3: Interpersonal Intelligence
Narrative: A thriving individual needs the skills to advocate for themselves and collaborate with others in a variety of situations. They should understand the impact of their actions on others. It involves effective verbal and nonverbal communication and the ability to entertain multiple perspectives.
Learning Outcomes:
- Students will display effective interpersonal communication skills such as effective conflict resolution strategies, verbal and nonverbal reactions in social situations and how they differ among individuals
- Students will develop effective leadership skills
- Students will understand the law relating to sexual consent and activity
- Students will understand healthy boundaries and will be able to have mature discussions with others about sex
- Students will acknowledge short and long term effects of sexual activity
- Students will describe how the skills of communication, cooperation, and compromise are essential for healthy relationships
- Students will define and understand the purpose of dating and discuss the stages of dating
Goal 4: Intrapersonal Intelligence
Narrative: Transitioning away from home and into a rigorous academic and co-ed residential environment can be challenging for students and impact their emotional well-being, mental health and sense of self. Students will be able to address these changes by cultivating resilience, self-care skills, and utilization of available resources. Students will become more proficient in identifying and verbalizing their needs, ideas, thoughts and values.
Learning Outcomes:
- Students will explore personal values and identity
- Students will set health and wellness goals that are reasonable, achievable, and sustainable
- Students will identify ways to support their emotional wellness
