Goals of the First-Year Experience

As a new freshman, you'll be given many new experiences during your first semester on campus. The First-Year Experience has the following goals:

• to introduce you to liberal education and to awaken intellectual curiosity
• to enhance skills needed for academic success: reading, writing, speaking, listening, thinking, inquiry, analysis, use of information technology, library skills, and time management
• to strengthen your connection to the University
• to engage you in meaningful academic and non-academic out-of-class activities
• to enhance your accountability for your education

Four Coordinated Experiences to Meet Goals

There are four coordinated experiences that are designed to help you to meet your goals: specially designated courses, participation in out-of-class activities, interaction with senior student mentors, and intensive advising.

1. Enrollment in a designated first semester course

   Each freshman can be enrolled in one such course. These courses may be existing courses which are set aside specifically for you or specially designed courses for the First-Year Experience. The content of these courses is designed to help you attain the five goals.

2. Participation in selected out-of-class activities

   Teaching and learning do not occur only in the classroom. Participation in out-of-class activities has a two-fold purpose: to show you how out-of-class activities support and enrich your learning and to integrate you into the University community.

   The out-of-class activities include those designed to:

   • develop time management skills, study skills, and health-related behaviors
   • promote participation in Forum, music, art, theater, and other presentations
   • promote participation in service activities, in recreation, and at athletic events.

   Student participation in out-of-class activities is one of the requirements of the designated first semester courses, and the instructors and senior mentors of the courses do participate with you in at least some activities.

3. Senior student mentors

   The senior student mentors work with your class and serve as the liaison between the teacher and the class. Each senior mentor serves a unique role to help you fit into the class. Mentor activities include:

   • orienting you to the University
   • assisting you in developing and clarifying your own expectations regarding a university education
   • modeling academic skills
   • participating with you in out-of-class activities
   • assisting the course instructor and student development staff

4. Intensive academic, personal, and career advising

   Some advising is provided by instructors of your first semester First-Year Experience course. The primary responsibility for advising rests with the faculty or staff academic advisers to whom you are assigned. You should have contact with your adviser both individually and in groups several times during the first semester.