The first year of university for our KKIS students is a big step forward in their lives. As in high school, KKIS continues to advise our students throughout their university years. At this level, the advisor sessions become a curriculum called the Wings Program.
For 3 years, KKIS will provide students with a series of topics aimed at preparing them for the working world. In their 1st year, this will cover subjects such as goal setting, communication skills, and decision making.
In today’s blog, we continue speaking with 3 of our high school graduates from our previous article. Viviana, Alan, and María share some of their experiences with us about the challenge of the 1st-year university and how KKIS helped them.
Entering 1st Year of University Student
Beginning the 1st year of university is something new and hard to believe for many of our KKIS students. It represents a new stage in their lives and new challenges, including making new friends with similar interests.
“I was feeling very nervous,” Viviana admitted to us. “I hoped to make new friends and learn a lot about my chosen career.”
Alan, on the other hand, found it all very exciting. His expectations of meeting his colleagues and making connections were fulfilled.
“When I met my school colleagues I liked them,” he recalls. “I realized that they were all open-minded.”
Setting Goals for 1st Year Students
Goal setting is the first thing we introduce to our students. Having entered university, many find themselves very focused on learning about their chosen careers.
For Viviana this involved maintaining her grades, facing her fear of exposing herself to people and being able to speak fluently. “KKIS was a fundamental part of this,” she told us. “With the programs they gave us I was able to train and think very well about what I could improve.”
Part of these sessions involves encouraging students to make a mental map of their goals. This allows them better to organize their time, and be able to understand their career path.
In Alan’s case, this also involved plans for more exercise and reading books. “My goal was to learn many different things,” he told us. “KKIS gave me the tools and motivation to do it.”
Public Speaking
The Wings Program teaches our 1st-year students the basics of public speaking. Whether for presentations in class, or addressing a group of prospective employers, these skills are essential.
Viviana describes her experience of being taught the skills to speak in front of others. “I had to speak confidently, have a correct posture, keep my eyes forward, body communication, and have a slightly more advanced lexicon.
She admits that this is still a work in progress, as she adjusts to the changes it demands. “I have not yet been able to handle it 100%. But I am going little by little. I have felt more comfortable and more capable, without fear.”
For María, this subject matter taught her a lot about body language. “I took it into account since I am very good at speaking in public,” María says confidently. “Relying on the way I manage my actions when speaking can help me with what I want to say.”
Negotiation, Persuasion, and Influence
“You have to have a lot of knowledge and also be very competitive.” Viviana is referring to how 1st-year KKIS students are taught to apply for jobs. They learn about how to conduct themselves during an interview and convince others to hire them.
“You have to be insistent without going over the line,” she cautions. “I haven’t applied it as such yet, I still think I need a bit more character.”
María is straightforward with her desire to apply this particular teaching. “More than anything, I want to be able, to be honest, and direct with what I want. All of this goes along with the public speaking skills that I want to improve.”
Final Thoughts from Our 3 Students
Viviana: The Wings Program has been good for me since it has given me the foundations that I need. They have helped me to see the points that I can improve or stop doing.
Alan: This program has been important to me because it will help me develop professionally. KKIS covers general aspects of our lives that they do not teach us in high school or university.
María: The talks we have are very helpful if you put them into practice. Most of the advice they give us is very important, so I take it as a personal and professional support session. This will undoubtedly be very helpful in my career.
How You Can Help KKIS
For over 10 years, KKIS has been supporting students from kindergarten through university by removing obstacles so students can stay in school. High school and university scholarships are the most powerful ways to positively change lives. Educating one child impacts the whole family.
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