Spartan Ready
Student Employee Professional Development Program
On-campus employment provides students with tangible experience, assists in developing relevant skills and allows them to make meaningful connections with staff, faculty and fellow students.
Spartan Ready engages students through the use of brief, structured conversations between student employees and their supervisors. These conversations are aimed at helping students understand the reciprocal connection between their academic pursuits and the skills and experiences gained through their employment. In short, this program emphasizes learning beneficial to both the work and class environments. Establishing this connection in the mind of students will make both academic and employment experiences more impactful.
This program has been developed from the Iowa GROW® program and implemented with permission granted from the University of Iowa.
How Spartan REady Works
Spartan Ready Conversations are structured around four brief questions
- How is this job fitting in with your academics?
- What are you learning here that’s helping you in school?
- What are you learning in class that you can apply here at work?
- Can you give me a couple of examples of things you’ve learned here that you think you’ll use in your chosen profession?
Supervisors will conduct the Spartan Ready Conversation twice a semester with all student employees. These conversations can be held in a one-on-one or small group (up to 8 participants) setting depending on the needs of the supervisor or in the best interest of the student employee(s). As students progress in their roles and academic studies, supervisors may observe changes in answers demonstrating learning has occurred. As students progress in their role and in their academic studies, their answers to the questions are likely to evolve and highlight the growth experienced during their collegiate career.
Students who participated in the original program hosted by the University of Iowa were more likely to report gains in the following skill sets:
- Improve verbal communication skills
- Develop time management skills
- Utilize critical thinking to form opinions and solve problems
- Develop conflict negotiation skills
- Making connections between work and academic studies
- Refine self-awareness through reflection
- Effectively working with individuals with a variety of backgrounds, experiences and cultures
All student employee supervisors in the Division of Student Affairs are expected to participate in the program. If you are a supervisor from another department, and wish to participate, please contact the Division of Student Affairs Student Employee Experience Committee [email protected].
To aid you in your navigating the Spartan Ready Program, we have developed the following resources for supervisors to use.
Some of the great features of the Spartan Ready Program are the flexibility in delivery methods and minimal time requirements for participation. Although the program is relatively easy to participate in, supervisors should still put effort into appropriately preparing for the conversations.
Prior to the Spartan Ready Conversation, supervisors should communicate with the student employee(s) about the nature of the upcoming meeting. This will allow the student to begin reflecting on their experiences prior to the meeting.
Nace Competencies
Learn More
Identify and respond to needs based upon an understanding of situational context and logical analysis of relevant information.
Learn More
Clearly and effectively exchange information, ideas, facts, and perspectives with persons inside and outside of an organization.
Learn More
Build and maintain collaborative relationships to work effectively toward common goals, while appreciating diverse viewpoints and shared responsibilities.
Learn More
Understand and leverage technologies ethically to enhance efficiencies, complete tasks, and accomplish goals.
Learn More
Proactively develop oneself and one’s career through
continual personal and professional learning, awareness of one’s strengths and weaknesses, navigation of career opportunities, and networking to build relationships within
and without one’s organization
Learn More
Recognize and capitalize on personal and team strengths to achieve organizational goals.
Learn More
Knowing work environments differ greatly, understand and demonstrate effective work habits, and act in the interest of the larger community and workplace.
Learn More
Demonstrate the awareness, attitude, knowledge, and skills required to equitably engage and include people from different local and global cultures. Engage in anti-racist practices that actively challenge the systems, structures, and policies of racism.