What Is The Inner Circle?

The Inner Circle is a 9 month program designed and delivered by a university professor to motivated first-year university students who want to experience a smooth and successful transition into university. Starting in August, you'll become part of an online community that will support your academic and personal growth all the way through your first academic year. The Inner Circle provides structure, support, and the skills you need to continue to succeed after high school.


WHY JOIN THE INNER CIRCLE?

  • Structure & Support

    Leaving high school means losing a lot of daily structure and the supportive community that maintains that structure. In high school, you respond to a series of bells for 7 or 8 hours per day. A teacher who knows your name takes attendance and (hopefully) genuinely cares about your learning. In university, you might only have a couple of hours of class per day with a professor who doesn't know you, and it's up to you to decide what to do with the rest of your time. Often, students are not prepared for this adjustment and struggle to stay on task. The IC will put structure back into your schedule and provide you with a new supportive community to ease this transition.

  • Wellbeing

    There is a mental health crisis on university campuses across the country. Universities are scrambling to address the issue, but their approach is often reactive, rather than pro-active. Don't wait until you are really struggling to start addressing things like life balance, belonging, self-confidence, or even your academic grades. You don't need to put yourself in the position where you are overwhelmed and over-stressed. The IC will help you plan ahead, develop self-mastery skills, and prepare for upcoming challenges.

  • Academic Success

    Academics and wellbeing go hand-in-hand. If you're not feeling good about yourself, you're not going to be able to focus and stay motivated to work hard. If you're not doing well in school, you're probably not going to feel great about yourself. Graduating to university means a new compete level. You will be among all of the top students from all of the other high schools. Often, students experience a grade drop, and this has a negative effect on their sense of self. The IC will provide you with the inside scoop from a university professor - how to study effectively, take excellent notes, write great essays, and more.

A Community Where You Belong

Save your spot now and start this next adventure on the right foot.

Here's how it will work...

  • Each month for 9 months (starting in August), I'll walk you through a carefully crafted program that will provide you with both academic and self-mastery skills.

  • Each month will have a specific academic focus and a self-mastery focus, and each week will begin with a 15 minute video lesson and worksheet.

  • Join the conversation with fellow students in the Inner Circle Lab.

  • Access academic resources created just for you on topics including essay writing, multiple choice questions, and note-taking as you need them.

  • Revisit the weekly lessons as often as you'd like to keep those new skills sharp.

  • At the end of each month, we'll get together as a group via video conference to talk about how the month went and to dive deeper into the focus of that month.

  • If you have the Full Circle Membership, we'll have weekly communication and meet once per month for a one-on-one coaching session with a focus we both agree on ahead of time.

You'll get life-changing lessons that you'll use long after you graduate from university.

Give yourself the best chance for success and grab your spot.

Here's what you'll learn...

Academic Skills Self-Mastery
Proven best practices for lecture note-taking Strategies for increased resilience
Working smart and time-efficiency  Failure, worthiness, and dealing with imposter syndrome
Getting over brain-block: starting that assignment Understanding procrastination: getting it done on time
Crafting a university-level essay Creating structure and balance: avoiding burnout
Getting those grammar marks Understanding failure and how to leverage it for forward movement
Avoiding accidental plagiarism: how to source properly Getting involved: rounding out your life (and your resume)
Effective studying strategies Mindfulness practices: dealing with stress and anxiety
Acing multiple choice and short answer questions Healing the feeling of overwhelm
Exam writing strategies Going beyond the grade: creating a vision for your future



Give yourself the best chance for success.

Get excited! This next adventure is going to be amazing.

Your Instructor

Dr. Shellie McParland

Dr. Shellie McParland

Please, call me Shellie. I am a Professor in the Disability Studies Program at King’s University College, an affiliate of Western University, where I engage students in reimagining traditional medical approaches to disability and mental health. I've taught thousands of first- and second-year university students, and my award-winning teaching skills successfully encourage students in their intellectual and personal growth. My research explores identity constructions and health behaviours throughout life transitions, and I have a keen interest in the ways we negotiate new environments and expectations as we take on fresh challenges. I am a former junior/intermediate teacher and have a unique perspective having worked on both sides of the high school to university transition. As an undergraduate student, I was an All-Canadian Track & Field varsity athlete, and following competition was a varsity coach at Western University, winning a national title in 2012. As a founding member of the Western Student-Athlete Mentorship Program, I helped create a structure that continues to provide academic mentoring to varsity athletes as they transition into university.

What My University Students Are Saying...

Andrea S.

Andrea S.

I believe the knowledge I gained from this course is invaluable and is pivotal to my self-awareness as I continue to learn how to interact with people and learn to be an independent woman in society. My course with Shellie has truly been the most valuable, informative, and practical course I have taken throughout my high school and university experiences.
Taylor L.

Taylor L.

Shellie truly is the best Professor that I have ever come into contact with in my University career thus far. She took her job seriously in the sense that she strived to not only ‘teach’ the material but to reach every student in the classroom. By this I mean she wanted every single student in her classroom to learn and connect to the material. She knew that we all have different learning styles that she needed to tap into. Needless to say Shellie is more then a Professor, she is someone that wants nothing more than for you to succeed and grow as a student and an individual. If I am being perfectly honest Professor McParland could have taught any class and I still would have thoroughly enjoyed it because of the heart and enthusiasm she puts into teaching. I am truly grateful to have had the opportunity to be taught by not only an amazing professor but a remarkable person.
Sarah G.

Sarah G.

Shellie was always quick to respond to emails and was very helpful when it came to setting up one-on-one meetings. After my struggle on the first midterm, I went to Shellie to ask for techniques to prepare me for the final. In doing so, I aced the final because of her support. Shellie is a passionate professor who cares for the well-being of her students, and I thoroughly enjoyed having her as a professor.
Ee-Shan L.

Ee-Shan L.

Shellie is a remarkably effective and compelling instructor. She genuinely cares about all of her students, and makes an honest effort to get to know them. She changed my perspective on life, prompting me to re-evaluate the way I lived my life. I have been so much happier since then thanks to her. No other teacher has had the capacity to teach me such profound lessons.
Meredith D.

Meredith D.

Shellie always made time for students both in and outside of class time. Even since the course has finished, she has continued to encourage me to pursue my writing. She is still willing to offer her help and guidance as I apply for a disability studies symposium. Dr. Shellie McParland incorporated humour, guest speakers, videos and activities to make her lectures engaging and interesting and is overall the most thorough and effective professor I have ever had.
Richard K.

Richard K.

This quickly became one of my favourite classes, not only because of the interesting material, but because professor Shellie McParland’s creative, inclusive, and personal teaching style were the catalysts for an excellent leaning environment. Overall, this was one of my favorite classes I’ve taken in my four years at university and I give all the credit to professor Shellie McParland for going above and beyond to create a enhanced learning experience that I can take into my other classes and real life.
Jillian M.

Jillian M.

An admirable strength of Shellie’s that appeared throughout the entirety of the course was her ability to utilize inquiry based learning; encouraging all of the students in her class to come up with their own critical thinking strategies and a personal understanding of course content. Since the first day, Shellie has demonstrated a unique learning style that made students instantly comfortable in her classroom. She used a plethora of interactive learning techniques that made her completely approachable to students; providing them with guidance whenever needed.
Lindsey S.

Lindsey S.

Shellie really put the learning of her students first. This was evident from her availability, promptness in answering emails and comprehension checks throughout the course. Shellie embraced the idea of inclusive learning and really made sure all the students in her class felt comfortable approaching her with questions or concerns.
Kaitlin M.

Kaitlin M.

Overall, Professor McParland made me feel like she cared about the students and about the material she was teaching. She made each class interesting and engaging, and gave us opportunities outside of class to interact with people with disabilities. I have already recommended her Disability Sport and Recreation class to a few people, because I enjoyed the way that I felt personally connected to it. Students tend to retain information better when they can connect it to something personal, and that is what I was able to do, through the term assignment and participation paragraphs. I thoroughly enjoyed having Professor McParland as an instructor and would highly recommend her.
Lydia G.

Lydia G.

Shellie’s course was different than any other course I have taken in my time here at Western, and this is because she truly put life into her topics. Shellie’s contributions to the course made the topics discussed more meaningful and memorable. Shellie made a great effort to allow students with different strengths to succeed in her class. Shellie was an extremely supportive and approachable teacher both inside and outside of the classroom. She was always available to meet, and gave me strong advice on my paper when I visited during her office hours.

Spots are limited!

Don't miss out on this awesome opportunity.

Semi-Circle Membership

$100/Month, August to April, inclusive.

  • A monthly academic skills focus to guide your learning.

  • A monthly self-mastery focus to guide your personal development and maintain your wellbeing.

  • Short and manageable weekly lessons in video format...Just watch the videos and take it all in!

  • Weekly worksheets...Reflect independently on the lesson from that week.

  • Ongoing group discussions...Reach out to your peers if and when you feel the need.

  • Monthly group session online...Get together with your peers for a group coaching session led by me.

  • Get the month of April FREE if you pay for the academic year upfront.

Full-Circle Membership

$200/Month, August to April, inclusive.

  • Everything from the Semi-Circle Membership PLUS:

  • 1 monthly one-on-one coaching session with me.

  • Weekly check-ins with me via online messaging...We'll break the month down into smaller parts with weekly back and forth messaging, providing you with direction, purpose, and the focus you need to stay on track.

  • Monthly email to parents (if they're paying and opt in) to summarize the month's focus and lessons provided. NOTE: I will not discuss your progress with your parents unless you want me to. Student-Instructor interactions are confidential. This reflects your growing independence into adulthood.

  • The opportunity to add as many additional one-on-one sessions for just $70 each.

  • Get the month of April FREE if you pay for the academic year upfront.

Pricing options

Choose the option that's right for you.

There's a lot to learn, but you won't be doing it alone.

Join the Inner Circle and you're joining a community that will support you every step of this transition.

FAQ

  • What is the weekly time commitment to this program?

    I know how busy you'll be getting used to your new environment and I promise to not waste your time. Weekly lessons will take about 15 minutes to watch and a few more minutes to reflect on and complete the worksheet. The real work is done throughout your daily life as you incorporate what you're learning into your decision-making, behaviour, and thinking.

  • What are the monthly group sessions all about?

    These sessions will occur at the end of each month and will last one hour. We'll meet as a group through video conference. Sessions will not be recorded in order to maintain everyone's privacy, but if you miss a session, you can access a round-up of what was discussed. In each session, we'll talk about how the month progressed for everyone, what lessons were covered that month, and I'll take you deeper into the tools and strategies that were focused on.

  • What are the one-on-one coaching sessions in the Full Circle Membership all about?

    Each session is one hour long and takes place through video conferencing or telephone - your choice. The sessions are meant to be client directed, which means we tackle any issues you are facing at the time or any areas where you are looking to grow and develop. These can be self-mastery or academic. For example, you might want to work on your ability to be resilient, or you might have an essay coming up that you are struggling to get started on. It's really up to you. We'll communicate ahead of time to ensure we are both prepared to make the most of the hour.

  • Why would someone book more one-on-one coaching sessions?

    Depending on your level of stress and your state of wellbeing, you might feel that more frequent coaching sessions would be beneficial for you. I'm here to support you and teach you the strategies you need to stay on track. You can book these ahead of time or as needed by emailing me at [email protected].

  • What if I decide the Inner Circle isn't for me?

    This type of program isn't for everyone. Not all young people are ready to commit to personal and academic growth. You can cancel your membership at anytime and you will not be charged for the following month or thereafter.

  • What if my parents want me to join, but I'm not interested?

    You need to show up for yourself in this program - not for your parents. The Inner Circle isn't about having me hover over you to make sure you're going to class and studying - it's about growing into your new independence and giving yourself the best chance at success. If you're not ready to show up for yourself then the Inner Circle isn't for you.

  • What if I chose the Semi-Circle Membership, but now I want one-on-one coaching as well?

    No problem. You can upgrade to the Full-Circle Membership and start your one-on-one coaching right away.

I can't wait for the start of the new school year!

Join me and a group of your peers on this exciting journey.