Why does CSS have a first-year program?
In the largest sense, Dignitas is an introduction to The College of St. Scholastica: who we are, what we stand for, and how to find your place in this particular learning community. Commonly, people talk about students as consumers; Dignitas reminds us that students are also, at graduation, our products—people we are proud to send out into the world. Because The College of St. Scholastica stands for certain values—most particularly community, reflection, intellectual challenge, and social justice—incorporating these values into a first-year program helps us live up to our promise of graduating students who take responsibility for their learning and for their actions. A combination of intellectually challenging course material, co-curricular activities, and common experiences lays the groundwork—sets the context—for four years of successful learning at the College and lifelong learning beyond.
