Journal of College Orientation, Transition, and Retention

A First-Year Undergraduate Summer Assignment Designed to Introduce and Reinforce Good Work Concepts

Jennifer Adrienne Johnson

Mary Katherine Duncan

Ashley Elizabeth Schoener

DOI: https://doi.org/10.24926/jcotr.v23i1.2899

Keywords: GoodWork, excellent, ethical, engaged

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Abstract

In fall 2011, the B University Good Work Initiative was launched. The initiative was tasked with developing, implementing, and assessing programs to encourage students to reflect upon the concept of good work (i.e., work that is excellent, ethical, and engaged). In this paper, we describe the 2014 Summer Assignment, which was developed using lessons learned over 3 years of good work programming at our University. The assignment was designed to first introduce students to good work concepts through a brief reading, then reinforce the concepts through two case analyses, and finally challenge students to apply their understanding of the concepts by writing an essay about their own professional role model of good work. Students demonstrated the ability to understand and effectively apply good work concepts and reported high levels of satisfaction with the program.