Campus & Community

More Than 3,900 Students Enjoy an Engaged First Year Seminar Shared Experience Week

Tuesday, October 17, 2023, By Diane Stirling
students assemble items into packs for donation

As part of First-Year Seminar, students made winter care packages of gloves, hats, socks, handwarmers and ChapStick for the Rescue Mission Alliance. (Photo by Jimmy Luckman)

A wave of first-year and transfer students in the University’s First Year Seminar 101 (FYS101) recently rolled across campus and into the greater 鶹Ƶarea to actively learn about campus, the local community and how they fit into their new surroundings. More than 10,000 students in total have taken FYS101 since its inception in fall 2021; that includes more than 3,900 students this year.

The seminar’s Shared Experience Week introduces students to the . Activities involved (mindfulness, opioid overdose prevention and sexual health programs); ; ; ; ; ; ; and the ; ; ; ; ; and . Presentations were hosted by ; ; ; the and the .

During Week Four of the 15-week session, students enjoyed 45 types of “in real life” engagement activities. They created an impactful 780 care packages and sourced materials to benefit 13 local organizations that became new participating partners with the University, says Jimmy Luckman, associate director of the First Year Seminar. That included:

  • 180 care packages for
  • 180 care packages for , Veterans Administration
  • 120 hygiene packs for the
  • 120 care packages for
  • 96 bags of food for , 鶹ƵCity School District
  • 48 backpacks for
  • 24 care packages for mothers with children in area neonatal intensive care units
  • 12 celebration/birthday bags for kids at
  • 6 blankets and 882 diapers for
smiling college students along with young elementary students and the meal boxes they prepared and donated.

“Blessings in a Backpack” students in the 鶹ƵCity School District received tortilla-based meals assembled by FYS101 students. (Photo by Jimmy Luckman)

students rolling blankets on the floor that will be donated to a community group

FYS101 students made six blankets and helped select 882 diapers for the Sankofa Reproductive Health and Healing Center. (Photo by Jimmy Luckman)

students looking at papers at a long conference table

At the Center for International Services, FYS101 students played international board games to learn more about other cultures. (Photo by Meriel Stokoe)

A group of students pose with a drummer

The Community Folk Art Center in 鶹Ƶwas the site of an interactive drumming session and a chance to learn about musical customs. (Photo by Evan Krukin)

Several students working in a photography darkroom

Light Work’s Community Darkroom provided a setting for hands-on experiments in photography. (Photo by Cali Banks)

smiling students look forward as they work on a project together

Interns at the Shaw Center introduced FYS101 students to the University hub for academic community engagement. (Photo by Dalton Dietz)

students on a tour of a museum

Students enjoyed a tour of 鶹ƵUniversity Art Museum with Kate Holohan, curator of education and academic outreach. (Photo by Jimmy Luckman)

a large group of studente posts in front of display at 鶹ƵStage

Another Shared Experience Week highlight: a tour of 鶹ƵStage. (Photo by Becki Bruzdzinski)

a group of students on the steps pose with hygiene packs they made for donation

Students created care packages with toothbrushes, toothpaste, soaps, sanitizer wipes, body lotions and deodorants, along with personalized notes, to donate to the food pantry at Hendricks Chapel. (Photo by Breana Nieves Vergara)