Fostering Fulfillment for USMA Cadet Character Development

By Spc. Ethan Scofield 27th Public Affairs Detachment Public Affairs Mass Communication SpecialistApril 27, 2022

Cadets Hutter, Adams and Vinnedge continue work on their projects in preparation for Projects Day 2022.
1 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Cadets Hutter, Adams and Vinnedge continue work on their projects in preparation for Projects Day 2022. (Photo Credit: (U.S. Army Photo by Christopher Hennen/USMA)) VIEW ORIGINAL
Cadets Hutter, Adams and Vinnedge continue work on their projects in preparation for Projects Day 2022.
2 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Cadets Hutter, Adams and Vinnedge continue work on their projects in preparation for Projects Day 2022. (Photo Credit: (U.S. Army Photo by Christopher Hennen/USMA)) VIEW ORIGINAL
Cadets at West Point taking 'Colloquium in Psychology' prepared a project on Cadet fulfillment for Project Days 2022 taking place April 27, 2022, on West Point, N.Y. In their presentation, they will explain the problem, review relevant research, and then present an evidence-based solution to help create a culture that supports a Cadet’s ability to find success and meaningfulness at West Point separate from their performance.
3 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Cadets at West Point taking 'Colloquium in Psychology' prepared a project on Cadet fulfillment for Project Days 2022 taking place April 27, 2022, on West Point, N.Y. In their presentation, they will explain the problem, review relevant research, and then present an evidence-based solution to help create a culture that supports a Cadet’s ability to find success and meaningfulness at West Point separate from their performance.
(Photo Credit: (U.S. Army Photo by Christopher Hennen/USMA))
VIEW ORIGINAL

West Point, N.Y. – Cadets in the United States Military Academy’s (USMA) Colloquium in Psychology course sought to find answers to a research question related to fulfillment: How can West Point create a culture that supports a Cadet’s ability to find success and meaningfulness at West Point separate from their performance?

“As future Army officers, we will be entrusted with America’s sons and daughters.

We will be entrusted to ensure their safety, morale, and readiness among other things,” Cadet Jeremiah Adams said.

In their presentation on Projects Day 2022, they will explain the problem, review relevant research, and then present an evidence-based solution.

The Colloquium in Psychology course serves as the integrative experience course for Cadets majoring in psychology. The course requires students to combine knowledge gained throughout their time at USMA, both in and out of the major, with novel course content to develop a solution to a complex, ill-defined problem for a client, specifically, USMA’s Character Integration Advisory Group (CIAG).

The course requires students to combine knowledge gained throughout their time at USMA, both in and out of the major, with novel course content to develop a solution to a complex, ill-defined problem for a client, specifically, USMA’s CIAG. The course is centered around a mentor-enabled, student-led group project designed to answer the question: How can the science of psychology influence the development of leaders of character and cultivate a culture of character growth?

Under this umbrella, numerous specific questions were proposed by the CIAG that address different problems. Jeremiah and fellow USMA Cadet, Megan Hutter, chose to tackle this specific problem set.

“Meeting the expectations of a commissioned officer requires a sense of identity, purpose, and inspiration that cannot remain rooted in superficial motivations,” said Hutter. “The Army demands leaders who are not only able to find meaning within their own tasks and aspirations but who are capable of instilling that in their peers and subordinates.”

West Point's 23rd annual Projects Day will showcase more than 400 research projects by over 1,000 cadets! We welcome and celebrate the over 80 external partners and West Point faculty who contributed to these cadet-led projects. Follow along by signing up for the Projects Day App and learn more about the Academics at West Point.

About West Point

The U. S. Military Academy at West Point is a four-year, co-educational, federal, liberal arts college located 50 miles north of New York City. It was founded in 1802 as America's first college of engineering and continues today as the world’s premier leader-development institution, consistently ranked among top colleges in the country. Its mission remains constant—to educate, train, and inspire the Corps of Cadets so that each graduate is a commissioned leader of character committed to the values of Duty, Honor, Country and prepared for a career of professional excellence and service to the nation as an officer in the U. S. Army. For more information about the academy, go to www.westpoint.edu.