Get Started on GPS

The Global Professional Skills (GPS) program is open to all undergraduate degree-seeking students at AUP. GPS will ensure you can leverage your experiences and satisfies an academic requirement. You can access your GPS path anytime here. The program provides a structure to record and reflect on your co-curricular activities, which is a great way to prep for your post-graduation plans. Whether you plan to find a job or internship, go to graduate school, take on a research project, or start your own company, you will benefit from the GPS Program!

Visit the GPS Lab in the ACE Center at any time. Find us on the 3rd floor of the Learning Commons. At the GPS Lab, you can:
  • Attend a GPS design thinking workshop: this is where magic happens; 
  • Get paper copies of all GPS reflective exercises: feel free to use the study room to complete an exercise, then scan it and upload it on your GPS path; 
  • Post your achievements on the GPS Wall of Fame: what are you most proud of this week/month/year? Share with the AUP community via the GPS Wall of Fame; 
  • Participate in specially designed GPS panel presentation coaching sessions; 
  • Meet with a GPS advisor to discuss your progress through your GPS path. 

 

GPS Requirements

Wondering where to begin your GPS path? Every student’s GPS path is unique and personal. We recommend that you start by attending the PLAN: Designing Your AUP workshop and see where it takes you.

The Recommended GPS Timeline above lists all GPS requirements in a suggested order of completion. Depending on whether you are a first-year degree-seeking student, an incoming transfer student, or a non-degree seeking student, you are welcome to start your GPS journey any time. You can complete your GPS path in four or two years or even faster, depending on your personal motivation and involvement in co-curricular activities.

1. PLAN: Designing Your AUP

The PLAN: Designing Your AUP (DYA) workshop helps students strategically plan their university time and make connections between their values and their vision for their university experience. Students will leave this workshop focused on making the most out of their time at AUP.  

Open to all undergraduate students (degree- and non-degree seeking students are welcome!). Find all DYA workshops on Engage.

2. IMAGINE: Designing Your Life

The IMAGINE: Designing Your Life (DYL) workshop invites students imagine their future at and beyond AUP. Students will leave the workshop with the tools needed to begin thinking clearly about their career aspirations and transition into the professional sphere. Students will be equipped with a Personal Value Proposition that will enable them to communicate successfully with prospective employers about their strengths and experiences.  

Open to all undergraduate students (degree- and non-degree seeking students are welcome!). Find all DYL workshops on Engage.

3. TELL: Designing Your Narrative

Through a series of exercises, the TELL: Designing Your Narrative (DYN) helps you reflect on everything you've done at AUP, both in the classroom and outside of it. You will learn some strategies for how to pitch yourself to prospective employers, graduate school admissions decision-makers, investors, etc. You will be given the guidelines for how to translate all of this into your Personal Narrative. You will leave the workshop with the tools you need to be confident telling your story to whoever your audience will be as you work towards your post-graduation goals.

Open to all undergraduate students with at least 32 earned credits. Find all DYN workshops on Engage.

4. Complete Six Reflection Exercises
  • Balancing Student Life: learn more about your skills and resources as a student 
  • Leadership: do you know what your leadership style is? 
  • Resilience: how do you navigate personal challenges? 
  • Cultural Fluency: you compare and contrast two cultures of your choosing 
  • Conflict Management: you complete a LinkedIn Learning course on Conflict Management and reflect upon your conflict management skills 
  • Senior Feedback Survey: you fill out a 10-minute feedback survey about the GPS Program once you have completed all requirements. The GPS Team takes your feedback very seriously and do their best to improve the program every year. 

Access all exercises via your GPS path. Paper copies are also available at the GPS Lab in the ACE Center (3rd floor of the Learning Commons).  

5. Participate in Six Co-Curricular Activities

You will be required to complete a variety of activities that feed into AUP’s four core capabilities, but just like your AUP liberal arts degree, GPS is flexible and designed to serve your needs and interests, so everyone will have a unique path to complete their GPS minimum involvement requirements. The GPS Path is dynamic, you will be able to click through requirements, completing and submitting items that apply to you… and many of you will be surprised to find that you have already completed a number of requirements!

The 6 required Co-Curricular Activities are:

  •     2 Professional Experience Activities
  •     1 Self-Care Activity
  •     2 Collaborative Activities
  •     1 Cultural Exploration Activity

For options in each one of the above categories, visit your GPS Path on AUP Engage and refer to the GPS Checklist. If you’re having trouble (maybe you are not sure where one of your activities fits in, for example) feel very welcome to email gpsataup.edu with any questions – the GPS Team is invested in your success and will be very happy to help you trouble shoot!