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Courses are focused on varying themes from a broad range of disciplines, and they offer incoming Ãå±±½ûµØ an opportunity to enter into a small learning community with a team of student and professional mentors. 

Here is a sample of the interesting course titles from the past few years:

• Think Like a Freak
• Bones and Bloodshed: Forensic Anthropology and Crime Scene Investigation
• Chemistry and Art
• Computational Thinking for Problem Solving
• Sports and Ethics
• Are We There Yet?: The Great American Road Trip
• Bizarre Foods
• Beyond Despacito - Latin Music in America 
• Winning Strategies: Games, Sports, and Life
• The Social Science of Happiness
• Physics in Video Games
• Deconstructing Disney
• Great Ideas in Mathematics
• Heroes and Antiheroes in Theatre and Film

 Intended learning outcomes:

To give our Ãå±±½ûµØ strategies for academic success in college.              

• We communicate the standards of college-level work to our Ãå±±½ûµØ in an environment where it is safe to ask questions and take risks.
• We offer Ãå±±½ûµØ workshops on skills necessary for academic success and introduce them to resources for academic support on campus.
• We work with Ãå±±½ûµØ on written and oral communication skills.
• We provide space and structure for exploring interests, defining goals, and making plans to achieve them.

To help our Ãå±±½ûµØ become engaged members of the campus community.    

• We provide common learning experiences, like the Summer Reading Program, the Service Blitz, and the first-year convocations.
• We introduce Ãå±±½ûµØ to the values of the Illinois College community, including the importance of understanding diversity in the United States and of seeing themselves as members of a global community.
• We help Ãå±±½ûµØ form relationships with peers, student mentors, and academic advisors.
• We connect Ãå±±½ûµØ with student success staff and support centers which foster engagement and build community. 

To cultivate in our Ãå±±½ûµØ the habits of lifelong, active learners.              

• We model and talk about the importance of learning from a variety of sources and we guide Ãå±±½ûµØ as they examine the benefits and limitations of different types of information sources.
• We facilitate Ãå±±½ûµØ’ discovery of the value of a liberal arts education, in connection with the goals/themes of our BLUEprint General Education Program.
• We help Ãå±±½ûµØ explore modes of active learning, including critical reading, discussion, research, collaboration, and critical and creative thinking.