Connect-5 Freshmen Experience Guide
“WTF: Winning and Thriving as a Freshmen"

The first year of college can be incredibly overwhelming. First year students are at risk of performing poorly academically or even dropping out. In order to transition into the collegiate environment successfully, students need to know how to adapt to their new university life. The Connect-5 Freshmen Experience Guide is designed to be a comprehensive blueprint for students trying to survive their first year of college and emerge successful.

In this concise, memorable keynote, students will learn how to:

• Handle homesickness
• Discover compelling reasons to stay in college
• Make friends and build relationships without compromising their values
• Manage their time to get good grades while still having a social life
• Build confidence and believe in themselves
• Identify and maximize their campus resources

Perfect for: Welcome Week, Orientation, FYE programs, and Lyceum Speaker Series

Program Format/Duration: This program is delivered as a campus keynote and/or as a one hour workshop.

Connect-5 Sophomore Experience Guide
"Dump the Slump: Powering through a Successful Sophomore Year"

Many colleges offer first year students an overflow of supportive resources to choose from, but sophomore students don't always have this luxury. They may have trouble choosing a major they like and spend their second year of college in an unnecessary slump. Research shows that sophomores students have one of the highest drop out rates in college.

This workshop will assist schools with retaining their sophomore population, and help second year college students be successful both academically and socially by showing them how to:

• Ask the right questions before declaring a major
• Select a meaningful internship, study aboard or volunteer experience Reconnect to their campus community
• Re-connect to available campus resources
• Be better and role models for first year students

Perfect for: SYE (Sophomore Year Experience) Programs, Student Leadership Conferences, Greek Leadership Programs and Events

Program Duration/Format: The Sophomore Guide is delivered as a one hour workshop.

Connect-5 Junior Experience Guide
"Major Decisions: Success for now and the future"

While first and second year of college can be stressful times, the junior year requires major life decision-making that could make it the most daunting college experience of all. If they haven't already, students have to decide what their major will be, what classes they should take, whether they want to go to grad school or embark upon a career. Most students are clueless of what they want and as a result make poor career path decisions. The Connect-5 Junior Experience Guide is designed to help students devise a plan that works for them and transition to graduation as smoothly as possible.

In this two part workshop, students will learn how to:

• Choose a major that matches their interests
• Get an internship that leads to employment upon graduation
• Successfully prepare for their senior year and potential leadership opportunities
• Network outside of the college campus

In part II of this workshop, students will learn how to:

• Write a winning personal statement for professional or graduate school
• Craft an appealing cover letter and resume
• Transform extracurricular activities into an internship
• The do's and don'ts when preparing for graduate school and a career

Perfect for: Career Services Sponsored Events, Greek Leadership Programs, Student Leadership Conferences, and Greek Week

Program Duration/Format: This guide is delivered as a two-hour workshop.

Connect-5 Senior Experience Guide
"Cut the Hassel and Get Your Tassel"

"Senioritis" is a common term on college campuses to describe students who are under the impression that their last year of school doesn't matter. These students tend to slack off, figuring that after three full years of grueling academics, they deserve a break. The Connect-5 Senior Experience Guide is designed to give college students like these a wake-up call and them refocus. This program assists college seniors with devising and implementing a plan of action that will ensure their successful transition to graduate school or their chosen career.

In this 90 minute workshop, seniors will learn the tools to:

• Choose a meaningful and rewarding career path
• Go to graduate school for free
• Establish their personal "brand" and get hired
• Leave a lasting legacy of leadership by inspiring and training rising campus leaders

Perfect for: Career Services, Life Skills Programs, Student Leadership Conferences, Greek Leadership Programs and Events

Program Duration/Format: This program is delivered as a 90 minute workshop.

Connect-5 Non-Traditional Student Experience Guide
“You're not in Kansas Anymore: Successfully Transitioning Back to School"

If you're a non-traditional student, chances are that you're already leery about returning to school. You might be prone to allow a small setback to veer you off course, never finishing an academic career that could have changed your life. This program is specifically for non-traditional students and is designed to prevent that outcome by connecting you to the campus community and helping you achieve academic success. It also encourages you to take on campus leadership positions.

During this two part workshop, you will learn how to:

• Embrace your return to school positively
• Successfully navigate the social and academic environments of college
• Maximize your leadership potential on campus and beyond
• Manage stress and balance work, school, and home life
• Pick a career that matches your skills or find a new one that you are passionate about
• Use your time more effectively so you can study less and improve your grades

Perfect for: Military programs, Community Colleges, Non-Traditional Student Orientation, and College Transition programs

Program Duration/Format: This program is delivered as a campus keynote or a two hour workshop.

Leading Students Don't Require Titles (Part I)

Title holders have positions, but leaders often don't. This leadership keynote presentation shows you how to develop authentic leadership while helping you understand that true leadership isn't title based. If you want to be inspired to lead others, then this keynote is for you!

In this keynote, you will:

• Learn how to be a positive leader without a formal title
• Learn some of the biggest mistakes that student leaders make and how to avoid them
• Discover how to get the most out of your peers without compromising your leadership standards

Leading Students Don't Require Titles (Part II)

Great leaders don't manage; they inspire! Great leaders have learned how to establish good interpersonal working relationships. In this presentation, you will acquire and explore a set of strategies intended to get you results through your leadership with your peers.

In this interactive presentation, you will:

• Discover ways to develop a campus culture of quality and excellence
• Learn how to actively engage other students on your campus and get them connected
• Discover ways to resolve conflict within your student organization

Perfect for: Student Leadership Conferences, Welcome Week, Break Out Sessions, and Residence Life Training

Its Not The 13th Grade: Being a Star Student in Community College

Whether you're a recent high school graduate, a first generation college student, or a non-traditional student returning back to school, knowing how to successfully navigate your college environment is a must. Balancing the demands of an academic workload, a job, and other off campus commitments is critical to your college success.

During this fun and interactive keynote, you will learn:

• How to utilize and maximize your campus resources
• The 3 highly effective habits of successful community college students
• How to excel academically while balancing your off campus life
• How to properly prepare for your next step
• Why developmental classes are not a setback but a set up for a comeback

Perfect for: Community College Orientations, Leadership Conferences, Early College Programs, First Year Experience Programs, and Lyceum Speaker Series

Program Duration/Format: This program is delivered as a campus keynote and/or as a one hour workshop

Show Them How It's Done: Create Student Leaders From Day One!

Train your orientation leaders so they know how to make first year or transfer students feel connected to campus the minute they arrive. It's one of the most important ways to ensure that students have a positive effect at your institution and that it has a positive effect on them. Give your orientation leaders the skills they need to set a welcoming tone for the rest of the school year.

In this fun, educational, and interactive program, your orientation leaders will learn:

• Communication skills to develop meaningful connections and reduce conflict
• How to facilitate small groups, meetings, and activities with confidence
• Creative ways to connect students to resources on campus
• Mentoring skills that can lead to life long friendships

Perfect for: Orientation Leader Training, Student Leadership Retreats, First Year Experience Programs, and Residence Life Training

Program Duration/Format: This program is delivered as a half or full day workshop

Inspiring Change In Your Greek Organization

Changing the culture of your fraternity or sorority can be a difficult task when organizational norms have been in effect for years, but it's not impossible. Moving your Greek organization in a new, different direction requires forethought, expertise, and careful consideration of the needs of everyone in the organization.

During this interactive workshop, you'll learn:

• Why people fear change and how you can help them overcome it
• How to inspire change in a non-confrontational way
• How to smoothly transition leadership within an organization
• How to influence your peers to help you produce positive change

Perfect for: Greek Week Program, Greek Conferences, Leadership Retreats, Student Leadership Conferences

Program Duration/Format: This program is delivered as a 90 minute workshop.

Acting Brand Nu: Making Healthy Choices as a Greek Leader

Socializing and alcohol are often integral parts of the Greek experience, but they don't have to be negative parts of it. This interactive workshop educates Greeks about how to make better lifestyle decisions without compromising the integrity of their organization or their personal values. They will gain powerful life skills to use whenever they see unhealthy or negative behavior amongst their peers, during Greek events and daily life.

Perfect for: Greek Week, Student Leadership Conferences, Bystander Intervention Programs, Alcohol and Substance Abuse Prevention Programs, Midterm/Finals Programming

Networking Your Net Worth

When it comes to transitioning from college to career, you may not be as prepared as you think! Learn how to properly interview, network, follow-up, negotiate the workplace, and what employers don't always tell you. This fun and interactive presentation will provide students with invaluable information to assist them in transitioning from college to career.

Warning: You will learn secrets that you will not find anywhere else!

Perfect for: Career Services Programs, Transition Programs, Student Conferences, First Year Experience Programs, and Summer Workshops

Becoming C.E.O. of Y-O-U

In life we all encounter difficult circumstances and during these times, it's easy to make excuses and blame others. At the end of the day, its up to you. No matter the challenge, we still have a choice! This interactive, motivational program will help you become more successful by helping you understand that we all are a product of our choices.

In this interactive program, you will:

• Learn the three universal truths surrounding life and how to use them to better your situation
• Learn how to acknowledge setbacks and transform them into opportunities
• Learn how to develop a positive mindset regardless of your circumstance

Perfect for: Any Event!

Maximizing Potential and Reducing Stress

Stress is inevitable in college and stress can negatively affect your academic performance, relationships, and health. The simple truth is, most students don't know how to successfully deal with stress, and most stress management methods provide little or no lasting relief.

In this interactive program, you will learn:

• How to remain calm no matter what's happening in your world
• How to manage the big three: Challenge, Choice, and Change
• How to use stressful situations in order to maximize your performance Classic time management techniques that will restore balance in your life

Perfect for: Student Leadership Conferences ,Student Athlete Activities, Final/Midterms Week, and Welcome Week