Experience Success Program

The Experience Success Program is a two-semester
student-support program sponsored by the College. It is a
program specifically targeting freshman and transfer
students.

ESP has a two-fold mission. One goal is for students to
learn and adopt organizational, time-management, study
and test-taking skills as they engage in their initial CSULB
course learning experiences. CSULB is different from high
school or community college and success demands that
students independently manage their time and studies more
intensely and at a faster pace than they have often
experienced in their past. The second goal is to increase
student awareness of science and math-related career
options. Academic success support and future career
exploration are integrated seamlessly into the ESP
semesters.

Woven into both semesters are opportunities for students to learn about the many careers available to them
in the sciences' and mathematics' fields. Scientists speak about their passion for their work, their struggles
along the way and their successes that make the challenges all worth while. Campus professional services
from the Learning Assistance Center and the Career Development Center will be used within the ESP
semesters, respectively.

ESP-Semester I: Students will be
- exposed to college-focused study and time management skills,
- offered organizational techniques to keep up with the increased pace of
college demands,
- engaged in learning assessment/testing strategies to improve performance
outcomes
- enlightened with science and math career awareness exploration
- immersed in increasing communication and critical thinking skills
- taught where and how to locate the CSULB support resources needed for
college success
- prepared to self-advocate for their academic and career-related needs

ESP-Semester II: Students will be
- presented with resume models and opportunities to create their own resume for future use in internship and
job interviews
- connected with campus faculty for a three-week laboratory or field job shadow experience
- networked with community professionals for a three-week science or math career-related job shadow
experience
- offered job interview and job shadow ettiquette training from 'first meeting' through 'thank-you note' follow-up

The ESP-I course meets 1 hour weekly during semester one. ESP-II meets 1 hour monthly during semester
two with additional time assigned for job 'shadowing and internship experiences. Students may elect to
take one or two semesters of the ESP Program; however, you must take ESP-I before enrolling in ESP-II.
Sign up for the ESP semesters when you are making your course selections (registering) for the
acadmic year - talk to your advisor when making your course selections.