Mission: Exploration

Fri, 07 Nov 2025 12:05:32 -0500
academic, advising, event, exploration, major, news, oapa, of, office, pre-professional, students

The first week of October marked the seventh year of the Office of Academic and Pre-Professional Advising’s (OAPA) Major Event—a signature, campus-wide experience designed to guide and empower all students on their academic journey.

Though the event has evolved in format over the years, its purpose remains the same: to support students who are still discovering their academic passions, reassessing their current paths, or considering new directions. This year’s iteration brought that mission to life with renewed energy, innovation, and a little cosmic inspiration.

Designed for Discovery

This year’s three-day series was built around a space theme, inspired by UMBC’s partnership in NASA’s Artemis III mission. Featuring graphics of moons, constellations, and galaxies—designed in collaboration with Common Vision—the event invited students to see themselves as explorers on a journey of academic self-discovery.

Throughout the week, 167 students engaged in:

Academic department info sessions and tabling

Alumni panels sharing real-world career pathways

Workshops on declaring a major, decision-making, and aligning interests with programs

Conversations with faculty, advisors, and peer mentors

Accompanying the Major Event this year was an interactive mobile and web app to transform the way UMBC students and the entire campus experience its signature program. By leveraging the extensive scope of customizable features available via Webex Events (formerly Socio), Coordinator for Pre-Transfer Advising Desiree Sterling created an immersive, multimedia hub for attendees to navigate the Major Event on site (i.e. via Majors Fair interactive map), synchronously (i.e. joining the virtual academic planning workshop), or asynchronously (i.e. scanning profiles and resources imported into the app). The app also supports other key functions for event management and post event follow up.

At its core, the advising model behind the Major Event—and OAPA’s broader work—reinforces a powerful message: Exploration is not a setback—it’s a step forward.

Through advising, OAPA encourages students to see exploration not as indecision, but as an active and essential part of academic growth. That’s why the term exploratory is used in place of undecided—to reflect a more intentional, strengths-based approach to guiding students through academic uncertainty.

Advisors work with students to create space for reflection, strategic course selection, and goal setting, helping them explore options while maintaining academic progress.

“Exploratory students are doing essential academic work,” one advisor shared. “They’re not lost—they’re learning to ask the right questions.”

This advising philosophy also encourages students to make meaningful connections—between their interests, skills, values, and the opportunities available to them both in and beyond the classroom. Conversations about majors often lead to broader discussions about internships, research, study abroad, and long-term career goals—helping students design an academic path that aligns with who they are and where they want to go.

A Launchpad, Not Just a Fair

For exploratory students, The Major Event is more than a fair—it’s a launchpad. It offers a low-pressure environment where students can:

Build confidence in their current or future academic plans

Learn how to declare or change a major

Connect with campus offices and academic resources

Discover new opportunities and unexpected academic pathways

It also reminds students that they are not alone—many of their peers are navigating similar uncertainty. The event helps normalize the experience while providing clear and practical next steps.

Taking Exploration Further

OAPA’s commitment to exploratory students doesn’t begin or end with The Major Event. Year-round, students can access:

1:1 advising focused on strengths, values, and academic alignment

Career Center assessments like Focus 2 and MBTI

The Discovery Scholars Living-Learning Community (via Academic Transition Programs)

The Exploratory Referral Form, which connects students in transition with timely, individualized support

With another Major Event behind them, OAPA is already focused on what’s next. Post-event feedback from students, departments, and campus partners will help shape future programming. The team is also exploring how the Sched app can support ongoing engagement, not just during events but throughout the academic year.

“Our goal is to make academic exploration an empowered, supported, and celebrated part of every student’s experience at UMBC.”

Landing Among the stars

Students who attended the alumni panel saw firsthand that exploration and uncertainty often lead to meaningful and even unexpected careers. The panelists shared stories of redirection, resilience, and purpose—underscoring that exploration isn’t just about choosing a major, but about designing a life.

The next step? Students can continue exploring with the support of the Office of Academic and Pre-professional Advising.

Meet with an advisor. Enroll in a new course. Explore a different discipline. Submit that major declaration form. Each step brings students closer to launch.

And with the right support in place, exploration isn’t a detour—it’s how students land among the stars.