This message was sent to all members of the Class of 2024.
We are pleased to share an exciting opportunity for your WPI experience this upcoming year.
Discover the Sophomore Experience (SophEx), a signature year-long program for WPI’s sophomore students. The SophEx program will connect you and your fellow rising sophomores with peers, faculty, staff, and resources to help you get the most from every moment at WPI.
You will join one of nine topic communities, meeting regularly throughout the fall semester, themed to a variety of interactive opportunities both in and out of the classroom. These communities will provide the perfect opportunity for you to:
- explore your passions;
- connect with peers, faculty, and staff who share similar interests;
- grow your knowledge in specific areas;
- meet student leaders in the WPI Community; and
- engage with other topic communities outside of your own.
What is SophEx?
SophEx is an immersive social connection adventure that goes beyond the academic experience at WPI.
As a member of WPI’s SophEx Program, you’ll connect with a community of students, faculty, and staff who share your interests. Each SophEx group will have a Topic Community Fellow (a WPI faculty/staff member) along with Topic Community Peer Mentors, who will lead weekly Common Meetings with your group. Topic Community Fellows and Peer Mentors will also be joined at each group’s weekly Common Meeting by students from various backgrounds and involvements on campus as you explore activities, events, and discussions related to your Topic Community. Through these Common Meetings, you’ll gain instant connections to people, programs, and student groups on campus—connections that will develop your leadership skills and knowledge in your specific Topic Community.
Topic Communities will also come together to connect outside of their specific groups through fun social opportunities both on campus and in the Worcester community. You might head to a WooSox game or see a performance at the Hanover Theatre; if you’re on campus, you could meet with some of our SophEx Fellows over a fry bar or take part in a high-stakes bingo night.
Who should join?
SophEx is open to all sophomore students, regardless of major. You can join a Topic Community that aligns with your major or one that is completely outside your area of academic focus.
SophEx is a great way to introduce an interdisciplinary perspective to your WPI experience. While you may have a different major or area of study from your peers in your Topic Community, your shared interest in topics like the arts or environmental justice will bring you together.
Fellows from different disciplines will often collaborate on your Topic Community content too—for example, you might find a psychology professor and biology professor working together in the Physical Wellness Topic Community.
How to Register
To register, fill out the SophEx form here by August 2, 2021 at 8:00am EDT. When you click on the registration form, you’ll see a full list of the Topic Community names and descriptions. You’ll be asked to select the three SophEx Topic Communities that interest you most, and will receive confirmation of your SophEx Topic Community by August 15, 2021. Students who register should be willing to attend a sophomore welcome program beginning on August 22, 2021 prior to the start of classes as well as weekly Common Topic Meetings, and actively participate in Common Topic activities. Large group SophEx activity participation is always encouraged but not required. There is not cost for participation in this program.
In the coming weeks, you’ll receive more information move-in and arrival to campus for the SophEx Welcome Experience.
If you have any questions about the program, please email gr-soph-ex@wpi.edu.
We look forward to seeing you this fall!
Sincerely,
The SophEx Leadership Team
Matthew Foster Associate Director, the Housing & Residential Experience Center
Angela Romano Assistant Director, Academic Advising
Christine Ziev Associate Director, Student Activities