The integrative studies major allows Ithaca College students to design their own program of study if there is not a major suited to their unique needs and is accepting new students for the first time in two years. This program is an effective way to expose students to resources and programs across the college and it is exactly the kind of initiative the college needs to emphasize to promote interdisciplinary, cross-school collaboration. 

Since the Academic Program Prioritization Process was finalized in 2021, the college has cut entire programs and slashed departments. It is a refreshing change to see the administration bringing a program back and even more exciting that this program relies on collaboration between schools and combining resources.

At the college, there are students studying acting and students studying filmmaking — for example — who may never speak to each other about combining their skills because this kind of collaboration is not promoted. Similarly, there are students in marketing communications programs who could provide advertising and graphic design to business students or to help create posters for different programs and events. The opportunity to collaborate between programs is expansive, and very few people ever do it. This kind of cooperation and sharing of resources must be promoted at the college level. 

The integrative studies program allows students to specialize in unique skill sets and stand out from their peers. If a student has expertise in the exact qualifications necessary for a certain job, they are more likely to be hired than students who major in a related subject but may not have as many of the unique skills. This in turn will boost the success of students and the profile of the college.

The integrative studies program is a great initiative to allow students to customize their college experience and gain the expertise they are looking for to prepare them for the industry. It is also just one example and hopefully one step toward fostering collaboration among schools at the college. More classes, projects and organizations should rely on resources drawn from across the college to truly tap into the potential of the college as a whole.