The Miller College of Business officially launched a high-impact signature program for undergraduate students called SOAR (Success, Opportunity, Acumen, Readiness) this past Fall. Over 475 students enrolled in the first class (MCOB 100: Introduction to Miller College and World of Business) of the SOAR Program.

Students were guided through various self-and career exploration activities via classroom learning, online assessments, and campus opportunities. They gained new time management and study skills, wrote SMART goals, reviewed their DegreeWorks plan, conducted informational interviews with alumni and Miller faculty, and developed an understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusion topics.

A few highlights from the Fall semester:

• Thanks to the Entrepreneurial Leadership Institute, 85% of the students completed the Gallup CliftonStrengths Assessment and the Builder Profile 10 Assessment. They gained knowledge about their top talents and will consider their strengths as a factor in choosing majors, setting goals, and creating a career action plan.
• Over half of the students completed the Career Management and Intercultural Fluency Pathway in the Career Ready Program, developed by the BSU Career Center and based on NACE competencies.
• 87% of students indicated on the survey that the topics in MCOB 100 re-affirmed their academic major selection.
• The SOAR Employer Advisory Board was established; members focus on reviewing the MCOB 100 curriculum and are highly involved in creating the SOAR mentoring program for MCOB 200.

Based on the feedback we received from students on a course survey, most of the students gained additional insight into various majors. They reported that they felt more connected to Miller College after taking MCOB 100.

More information is online about the SOAR Program. You can also register to be a mentor on Cardinals Connect for the 200-level class in the Fall of 2021.