The transition from high school to college can be tough, particularly for first-generation and underrepresented students who haven’t been steeped in a college-going culture.
UMD’s “Learning in Community” seminar for first-year students encourages their success by helping them acclimate to campus and become part of a community of learners.
Associate Professor Rhea Owens specializes in positive psychology. She developed a course in 2020 that fulfills the “Learning in Community” requirement—and expands on it in meaningful ways.
"Living Your Best Life: Applying Positive Psychology” isn’t just about college success, it’s about life success. The class is open to all majors and is unique, Owens says, because it gives students hands-on opportunities to “apply what they’re learning in the classroom to improve their everyday lives.”
Wyatt Lindberg, a non-traditional social work student and parent, was skeptical at first. “I thought this class would be silly and more of an unnecessary ‘intro to UMD’ class, but I quickly fell in love with the class, and Dr. Owens had a major impact on my life,” he says, adding, “I would absolutely recommend this class to anyone.”
campus. Back row, left to right: Ashlyn Berberick and Wyatt Lindberg. Front row, left to right: Rachel Valliere and Fiona Stahl.
Living Your Best Life helps students learn a variety of positive psychology techniques, such as developing their personal strengths and practicing gratitude. It encourages them to set goals and adopt healthy habits. It also introduces tools for time management and coping with stress.
Rachel Valliere, a psychology student, says it’s been her favorite class so far. “I learned so much from this course, and the things I learned can be used outside of the classroom and the world of school, which to me is very important,” she says.
Spreading Positive Psychology
When UMD’s Office of Academic Affairs offered funding for student retention initiatives, Owens and Eric Hessler, head of the Department of Psychology, submitted a successful proposal to expand the class from 30 to 90 students a semester. “My goal is to spread positive psychology as widely as possible,” Owens says.
The expanded class begins in fall 2023 with Owens delivering the primary course content by lecture. Teaching assistants from the Master of Arts in Psychological Science program, trained and supervised by Owens, will lead discussion sections to provide the feel of a smaller class.
Activities aid in course learning. A key assignment focuses on “giving positive psychology away” and promoting inclusivity. Students work in small groups to develop projects that share what they’ve learned across campus. In the process, they build community.
A group from the fall 2022 class wrote encouraging messages to hang around campus. Another group handed out envelopes with items like coupons for free ice cream, stickers, bookmarks and affirming phrases such as “You matter” and “We all belong here.” Students made an effort to ensure underrepresented students would see the messages, placing them near the Multicultural Center and the Disability Resources office.
At the end of the semester, students give a presentation to share their group project—demonstrating the course’s impact. “Students always seem really proud and happy when they share their work in class,” Owens says. “They feel good about doing nice things for others.”
This is the result Owens hopes to carry forward. “If you look at the positive psychology research, being kind and being grateful helps to boost our well-being,” she says. “Helping others can also boost their well-being. There’s a ripple effect.”
