Undergraduate students enrolled in one of Miller College of Business' academic programs are provided with valuable resources through our SOAR program. SOAR (Success, Opportunity, Aspiration, and Readiness) supplies undergraduates with a one semester course through each of their first three years of study. These three courses provide meaningful engagement opportunities for students to focus on career exploration and professional development. They will also connect with industry professionals, career coaches, academic advisors, community leaders, and mentors. The SOAR curriculum is designed to give every Miller College of Business undergraduate student a competitive edge in the workforce.
Program Overview
The SOAR program is facilitated over the course of the first three years of study for each Miller College of Business student. After completing each of the required courses, students will have developed an understanding of their professional strengths and weaknesses and workplace preferences to evaluate their personal fit for specific jobs, employers, and professions. Students also learn effective means to convey their professional identity and to promote themselves as ideal candidates in the job market. Every student in the SOAR program receives a professional mentor, a Miller College alumnus who is ready to give their time and talent to help prepare our students for the next step in their journey.
Success
- We prepare our students with the skills necessary to build success inside and outside the classroom.
Opportunity
- We provide students with meaningful opportunities to develop personally and professionally. Each is paired with an alumni mentor
Aspiration
- We empower students to pursue a path that will lead to fulfilling careers and meaningful lives.
Readiness
- Graduates of the SOAR program are ready to take on whatever is next whether that may be graduate studies or a first professional position.
Courses
The first-year course introduces students to requirements, expectations, and resources of the Miller College of Business and Ball State University. Students are guided through self-and career-exploration via classroom learning, online resources, and campus opportunities.
Course topics include time management, study skills, major and career exploration, academic advising and degree planning, goal setting, and professional communication.
In this second-year course, students are guided through job searching skill development. Students will learn how to craft effective LinkedIn profiles, resumes and cover letters, how to prepare for and undergo the interview process, and other tactical knowledge such as dressing professionally, networking, and dining etiquette.
Students will also make use of various online databases to research companies and their internship or job opportunities, as well as understand online application platforms.
In the final and third-year course, students are prepared to transition into the professional business world and/or graduate school, including applied assignments related to professional experience, networking, and mentorship. Each student will be paired with an alumni mentor.
Course topics include transferable skills, salary negotiation, post-graduate budgeting, leadership, personal branding, values, graduate school exploration, and generational characteristics of the workplace.
Immersive Experiences and Activities
Students in the SOAR Program are offered valuable, life-changing immersive experiences and student activities to partake in during their college career. Access to student activities offered by various departments across campus allow students an additional advantage to build on and complement the skills learned throughout the SOAR program. Immersive opportunities such as connecting with a mentor, community service, internships, study abroad, and attending professional conferences allow them to solidify those skills and become a well-rounded professional ready for the next step in life.