Since its inception last year, the office of the First Year Experience has become one of the most visible divisions of Student Life on campus. Freshmen, transfer students, graduate students, and even parents have a more specialized and centralized support system than before. Headed by Dean Lisa Trahan, the office has increased both its outreach programs and staff members.
“FYE really focuses on student development,” said Trahan. Although, first year students are a priority, providing support for all students is important. Mostly known for its Navigating Rensselaer & Beyond and student orientation events, the scope of FYE extends far beyond that.
Community service, communiversity, and diversity awareness programs are all among initiatives and projects that FYE opens for all students.
“We want to provide all the students with opportunities where they could help the community and enjoy whatever community service activity that they participate in,” said Cynthia Smith, assistant dean of FYE.
Two weeks earlier dozens of students attended a community service day where activities ranged from renovating a Habitat for Humanities house, to putting together a quilt, to bagging gumdrops and toothpicks for an engineering project.
Another project that FYE is sponsoring deals with diversity and awareness.
The Community Advocates program was created through a grant by Hewlett Foundation. The program deals with diversity issues on campus and the community and trains a number of students who become community advocates. “It is a great program that allows me and others to learn more about other people and to talk them about our differences,” said Rita Jiang, a student community advocate.
Also through FYE and CA, videos are shown and speakers are invited to talk about issues such as hate and prejudice.
Something new that was not done before, is the Parents Rensselaer Association which brings the parents into a new level of communication with both the administration and students.
“This level of communication will make the quality of life much and make both students and their families more satisfied,” said John Kolb, chief information officer.
Kolb, who has worked closely with FYE on such programs as the laptop distribution, said “FYE’s strongest advantage comes in making transitions for students into Rensselaer much easier than ever before.”
