Student Affairs at the Downtown campus is leading the development of a new program to help students avoid the “sophomore slump.”

Jo Ann Martinez, Student Affairs administration executive coordinator, and Georgeana Montoya, dean of Student Affairs at the Downtown campus, are developing a program that focuses on ASU’s second-year students.

“The Sophomore Year Experience is a University-wide initiative to provide any academic and extracurricular needs that the sophomore class might have,” Martinez said.

While the Freshman Year Experience has been in place for years, ASU is moving toward promoting similar programs for the sophomore, junior and senior classes.

The Student Affairs departments at the four campuses represent a specific class that they are responsible for creating a particular program, Martinez said.

Currently on all campuses there are junior and senior year programs available to students, but the Sophomore Year Experience is still in its developing stages.

“Research shows that the sophomore class is the forgotten class, not only at this University but at many,” Martinez said.

The Freshman Year Experience emphasizes informing students about ways to become involved in the University, while both the Junior and Senior Year Experiences are geared toward pursuing future employment and preparing for life beyond an undergraduate degree, according to the programs’ Web sites.

When developed, the Sophomore Year Experience will help students make the transition between becoming familiar with ASU and actually using the opportunities and resources available to them with the intent of preparing for their lives after graduation, Martinez said.

In an effort to successfully implement the Sophomore Year Experience at ASU, Montoya and Martinez are in the process of building a council of students dedicated to coming up with ideas to assist the sophomore class.

“You’ve already been introduced to what college is about, but you’re not at the point where you need to start focusing on your future outside of school,” said Joshua Frigerio, a journalism sophomore and member of the council.

The Downtown office of Student Affairs is developing this program with the goal of keeping sophomores motivated academically by offering résumé-building activities and studying tips, while still hosting fun events that keep them connected as Sun Devils, Martinez said.

“It’s a way to keep students engaged and for them to understand that they need to keep going and keep pushing forward,” Frigerio said.

Some students agreed that having this program readily available will help them progress as sophomores and ease them into being upperclassmen the following year.

Nursing sophomore Joel Bumanglag said he thinks students will benefit from the program after their first year at ASU.

“Helping us with our résumés and helping us get a job, especially if we still have a couple of years left, would be great,” he said.

As the semester begins, the Downtown office of Student Affairs is preparing to begin pulling the program together in order to help second-year students stay motivated.

Martinez said she thinks it’s important for students to realize their sophomore year is just as important as their freshman year.

“We need to continue reminding students that the knowledge and resources they had available their freshman year are still applicable as sophomores.”

Reach the reporter at slsnyder@asu.edu.