"It's fun to learn about the college, I can see myself coming here or to a different college." said Roseland University Prep (RUP) junior Jose Gomez about Shadow Day. His SSU counterpart Aracelli Anticonn, replied, "I took him to peer advisors and they made him interested in nursing and electrical engineering. They also discussed options about going to a junior college and then transferring."
Shadow Day is an annual event where juniors from Roseland University Prep visit Sonoma State University. Shadow Day is unique in that the students aren't given a normal campus tour and then sent on their way. Each high schooler is paired with a Sonoma State student from Dr. Jessica Hobson's service-learning Psychology 302 Lifespan Development class. The high schoolers spend the day shadowing their SSU student through their regular daily routine. This includes attending classes, club meetings, doing homework, and eating lunch in the Kitchens. Both groups of students benefit tremendously through this experience. The RUP students leave SSU feeling that college is a real possibility for them.
During the important reflection component of any service-learning course, Dr. Hobson exclaimed, "I'm so happy to hear from my students and RUP students that today was a wonderful, successful experience for everyone. Everyone opened their hearts and it was amazing to see everyone enjoy Shadow Day." The reflection consisted of just the SSU class as they discussed how this event tied into their course material. One student said, "Some of them had unrealistic expectations on life, like how we talked about children at this age haven't developed full abstract thought yet." Another student was so moved that he said, "I talked with my student at a deep level, we left a mark on each other. I'm very inspired by what he's been through and I encouraged him that if he attends college, anything is possible."