Captains Launch
Kickstart Your College Journey with Captains Launch!
Welcome aboard, Captains! Captains Launch is an exclusive virtual summer transition program designed to give newly admitted freshmen a head start on their college journey. College is going to be hard, there's no way around it, but this program is designed to make your college experience a bit easier. This unique opportunity offers enhanced support to help you thrive and also provides you with the information you need to be a successful member of our campus community.
We have designed specific topic areas that we know contain the information you need while navigating the challenges of being a college student. These aren’t very long, but will give you the opportunity to prepare yourself for those first couple of weeks and beyond.
Set sail with what it means to be successful in college—academically, socially, and personally. You will:
- Build meaningful connections with fellow Captains
- Learn how to navigate campus resources
- Develop effective communication skills with faculty & staff
- Master digital tools for academic success
Included in this transformative program is entry into either COLL 140 – The Transitional Learner or COLL 141 – Student Success Seminar. Either of these courses will help shape your time here at CNU!
Are you ready to launch into success? Let’s do this, Captain!
Topics
In the Launch program, you will learn a variety of life and study skills. Topics covered in the online modules may include:
This session will teach you how to navigate the various information sources as well as access key resources only found through CNU’s "interweb."
You heard about them at Setting Sail, now get a closer look at all of the support systems designed to help you succeed.
This session will help you develop the confidence to communicate with professors when you are on campus. Through various scenarios, you will practice building relationships with faculty, staff, and administrators in order to get the help you need.
In this session, we will explore your personal and academic priorities, reflect on personal responsibility in high school, and predict how managing life will change in college. You will learn strategies to manage your time and commitments while balancing college demands.
Twenty-five to thirty hours of study time per week? How do successful students fill that time? This session will answer those questions and provide an overview of effective study methods. These study methods will be covered more in depth in COLL 140 and COLL 141.
In this session, you will learn how to read a syllabus, what Christopher Newport’s academic integrity expectations are, and some key differences between high school and college.
Based on Carol Dweck's research, this session will explore how what you believe about yourself can truly affect your success.
You will learn the components of GRIT and explore how developing effective coping skills can help when things don’t always go as you plan.
Important Dates
Launch will take place between Monday, July 13 - Friday August 14!
COLL 140
All students who participate in Captains Launch may be enrolled in COLL 140 The Transitional Learner. This is a two-credit course that meets twice a week to assist you with your transition to the college environment. Your instructor will give you study skills and resources and will show you how they can be directly applied to your coursework! A Peer Mentor and your instructor also help you to manage your time and check in with you during your first semester.
COLL 141
All students who participate in Captains Launch may be enrolled in COLL 141 Student Success Seminar. This is a one-credit course that meets once per week to introduce students to CNU’s campus resources and services. Your instructor will focus on essential academic skills, study strategies, and problem-solving approaches for success in the university environment. While similar to COLL 140 this course offers a streamlined approach, emphasizing key skills for a strong start to college.