New Explore Lehigh program offers classes across disciplines

The new interdisciplinary program Explore Lehigh is allowing 11 first-year students to take classes in two colleges of their choice during their fall semester. 

The program welcomed its first cohort of students this year to help those who want more time to determine their college of choice, enrolling them in a unique curriculum allowing them to explore all fields of study.

All students in the program are required to take an Intercollege Experience seminar class that introduces them to a range of disciplines, along with a required writing course and a math course.

Students then choose to take two of the following courses: A Big Question Seminar in the College of Arts and Sciences; Foundations of Business in the College of Business; The Value of a Career in Health in the College of Health; and Introduction to Engineering Practices in the P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Sciences.

Professor Chris Kauzmann, ‘13, has taught in all four undergraduate schools through his role as the Innovator in Residence at the Baker Institute of Entrepreneurship. 

He was asked by Deputy Provost of Education Terry-Ann Jones, the creator of the program, to teach the Intercollege Experience seminar course.

“My goal is that the students leave this program saying ‘I know more about myself,’” Kauzmann said. “I know what drives my personal purpose, satisfaction, happiness, fulfillment in life, more now than I did before.”

On the first day, Kauzmann asked students to talk about the problems they care about in the world and why. He then spoke about each problem and proposed how students could help to solve them through different career paths.

Sofia Golisano, ‘29, was recommended to enroll in Explore Lehigh after not receiving admittance to the Integrated Degree in Business and Engineering program.

She said after learning about different types of engineering, she was able to better understand what she was interested in. Prior to her taking the required seminar class, she thought she wanted to do bioengineering and business, but then realized she was more interested in chemical engineering. 

“You can tell that (Kauzmann) is really passionate about the class,” Golisano said. 

Outside of class, students in the Explore Lehigh program meet with the program’s adviser Emily Ford, the director of coordinated advising, to discuss their future goals.

Ford met with students over the summer to assist with their registering for classes, and will meet with them throughout the course of the semester to help them make their decision in committing to a college. Once students choose their college, they will be assigned a standard faculty advisor. 

“Our goal is to make them feel a part of the Lehigh community, since they are not identifying with a college just yet,” Ford said. 

Jones said the idea of Explore Lehigh began in March 2024 after having conversations with students and analyzing university data. The data suggested there were many students who changed colleges, which increased the chances of delaying their graduation date. 

Jones said finance and engineering majors, as well as those pursuing a pre-med track, are commonly more difficult disciplines to switch into later in one’s college career. 

Once the program was approved this spring, admissions counselors worked to recruit this first cohort of students.

“It’s definitely a high-caliber group of students,” Ford said.

Jones said the program is in its “pilot” form, meaning it’s being closely monitored over the next three years to determine whether it’s helping students find the career path they want to pursue while remaining on track to graduate on time.  

The faculty is also using student feedback to improve and adjust the program accordingly. 

“I take it as a good sign that I have had students stay back and want to share stories after class,” Kauzmann said.