Freshman First-Year Experience
Related Links:
New Mexico Tech Links (navigates you away from First-Year Experience):
Mission Statement
The Freshman First-Year Experience is committed to facilitating the establishment of the students’ vital connection to the university’s social and intellectual community as well as to significantly contribute to their development as successful life-long learners. As such we provide our freshman students with a varied array of services and programming from which they can begin to successfully realize their academic and personal goals.
Program Initiatives
The program offers a fall semester course, EDUC 101 Freshman Seminar, which is designed to provide a number of learning opportunities focusing on the self-development of each student. While many of the initiatives center around academic skill acquisition, we have also integrated programming that is designed to address many of the issues affecting today’s college student. A key component of the program is utilizing peer educators to serve as instructors for the course, offering the new students a reference group from which they can easily learn. The course is offered for 1 credit hour and is graded on a S/U basis. The course topics include the following:
Academic Success Skills
- Successful preparation for class
- Learning Styles—each student will take a learning styles inventory to assess the effective modality for processing information which will aid in developing effective study skills and habits
- Effective note taking
- Effective textbook reading
- Time management
- Effective Test taking
- Academic integrity
Life Skills Development
- Personal responsibility—incorporates values clarification, adaptive choice making
- Motivation—self discipline, goal setting, discovering purpose
- Stress management
- Personal wellness—incorporates diet, grooming, physical activity and self-acceptance
- Financial planning
Social Programming
The program sponsors a variety of social events to enhance the students’ campus experience and provide the opportunity to establish key relationships, and develop a sense of community and connection.
Program Logistics
- Programming provided through a Freshman Seminar 1 credit hour, S/U course
- Grouped by major to help develop effective study groups and development a sense of belonging
- Seminar groups are facilitated by an upperclassman in the major who have been selected based on demonstrated leadership, scholarship, and interpersonal skill (Peer Facilitators)
Tech Talk
- This provides a list of common jargon used by Techies on campus: Tech Talk.doc
- The pdf version can be found here: Tech Talk.pdf
