First Year Experience Program (FYEX)

Starting a university education is an exciting time. It's a time when your social sphere widens, interests deepen, and the challenges of keeping up with everything become even greater. During this transitional time, you can find it rewarding (and relaxing) to cultivate supportive groups and activities that will help ease the transition and promote academic success. With this in mind, Shepherd has created an innovative program of First-Year Experience courses. These courses offer creative ways to help you acclimate to university life, integrate into the campus community, and enjoy academic success.

Core Curriculum Requirement

Beginning fall 2011 semester, a first-year experience class is a core curriculum requirement for all first-year students. These courses are designed to help you transition into the university community of scholars and become a successful life-long learner. The first-year experience requirement may be filled by taking one of the following courses:

FYEX 101 – Freshman Seminar
FYEX 102 – Interest Group
Philosophy 100 -- Introduction to Liberal Arts Study (Required for Provisional Students)
*Departmental First-Year Experience Course , or a course (if offered) in the major that has been designated as fulfilling first-year experience core-curriculum competencies

*Your summer advisor will guide you as to which first-year experience option is most appropriate for you. Please note that some students may be required to take both Philosophy 100 and a first-year experience course designated in their chosen major.

Courses Offered Within the First-Year Experience Program

Freshman Seminar – FYEX 101

The purpose of these one-credit courses is to integrate you into the life and culture of Shepherd University and to prepare you with the foundations for academic success. The course addresses the core curriculum competencies of wellness, information literacy and experiential learning. A text and a copy of the Shepherd University common reading are required.

Interest Groups – FYEX 102

This one-credit course is centered on a common interest shared by a faculty or staff person and the students enrolled in the course (examples include scrapbooking, cooking, hiking). You will sign up for an interest group section of your choice; together you and the other students, your instructor and a Peer Educator will explore the interest as well as discuss survival skills that will help you move smoothly through your courses, the university system, and your new social life. The course will have a concluding celebration that includes all the interest group classes. In addition to active, participatory experiences that enhance learning, you will complete a wellness activity and an information literacy activity. A copy of the Shepherd University common reading is required.

Introduction to Liberal Arts Study – Phil 100

This 3-credit course prepares you for a successful academic career through the cultivation of valued skills in the liberal arts such as critical reading and analysis; writing and discussion; and argument and debate. You will be exposed to a series of readings, compiled by the course faculty, that deal with a range of diverse creative, intellectual, and ethical ideas, You will also be introduced to many helpful campus resources as well as university transition strategies such as time management, study skills, information literacy, note-taking, technology usage, and test anxiety coping skills. A copy of the Shepherd University common reading is required. This course is required for and limited to provisionally admitted students only.

Learning Communities

Learning Communities provide you with an inter-disciplinary approach to learning. Subject matter is interrelated and reinforced in both courses, deepening your understanding and revealing the subject’s interconnectedness. Professors work collaboratively on the course requirements. In some cases, they team-teach and are involved in all aspects of the courses, while other times they work together outside of the classroom to link course material. Relevant field trips are often part of the learning community experience. Credits are awarded based on credits assigned to each course in the learning community. You must enroll in both of the linked courses.

Instructional Resources

Passport Activity

Phil 100 Academic Integrity: The Pressure of Being Denise

Phil 100 Academic Integrity: The Pressure of Being Denise-Discussion Guide

This link is based on last year’s common reading but these modules will give you an idea of what this year’s Library Modules will look like and they will be tied to the current Common Reading. See Laura Neal in the Library for more information. http://webpages.shepherd.edu/lneal/sp2010/index.htm

Information Literacy Competencies: The How, What, and Why

FYEX Ways of Introducing the Wellness Topics into a FYEX Class

FYEX Case Studies for Critical Thinking

FYEX Critical Thinking

FYEX/Phil Icebreakers

FYEX Resources on Critical Thinking

FYEX Liberal Arts Education Purpose Resource

PHIL 100 Successful Student Information for Instructors

PHIL 100 Class Assignments to Reinforce Teaching

PHIL 100 Effective Teaching Outline

PHIL 100 Questions for Reflective Papers

CR This I Believe Depts & Topics List

FYEX Cuseo Workshop FYE Teaching

FYEX Cuseo Workshop Affective Holistic Outcome

FYEX Cuseo Workshop Strategies

FYEX Instructor Brochure

This I Beleive Discussion Manual

FYEX How to Write Your Own "This I Believe" Essay

FYEX Critical Thinking Assignment

Time Management, Learning Styles, Study and Note-taking Strategies, and Test Anxiety-Strategies to Help You Succeed

FYEX-101_guidelines-student_group-work.doc

FYEX-101 Content Prioritize Organize Cuseo

FYEX Content Evidence Cuseo

FYEX and PHIL 100 Instructor Focus Group Questions

IG End of Semester 2011 Meeting Minutes

FYEX Advising Flowchart

Peer Educator Information

FYEX Peer Educator Job Description

FYEX Peer Educator Guide

FYEX Peer Educator Application

Setting Smart Goals

How to Overcome Procrastination

Differences between High School and College

Latest Data Summary:

RETENTION AND GPA DATA FOR FYEX 102, LEARNING COMMUNITIES AND PHIL 100 BY YEAR

RETENTION RATE FOR FYEX 102 (INTEREST GROUPS), FALL TO FALL

YEAR FYEX 102 RETENTION RATE NO FYEX RETENTION RATE

2006-2007	71.56%	66.10%
2007-2008	63.11%	65.00%
2008-2009	68.80%	66.10%
2009-2010	73.10%	69.53%

CUMULATIVE GPA FOR FYEX 102 (INTEREST GROUPS), FALL TO FALL

YEAR FYEX CUM GPA NO FYEX GPA

2006-2007	2.38	2.48
2007-2008	2.61	2.50
2008-2009	2.67	2.58
2009-2010	2.61	2.61

RETENTION RATE FOR LEARNING COMMUNITIES, FALL TO FALL

YEAR LC RETENTION RATE NO LC RETENTION RATE

2006-2007	70.45%	66.30%
2007-2008	66.67%	65.49
2008-2009	74.07%	65.99%
2009-2010	77.08%	69.76%

One Book, One Community And Common Reading Program

The 2011-2012 Shepherd University Common Reading Selection

This I Believe Book Cover

For complete details about events surrounding This I Believe visit:

The Common Reading Website

We are pleased to announce that This I Believe, edited by Jay Allison and Dan Gediman has been chosen by the campus community to serve as our 2011/2012 Common Reading.

Themes from the book will be used to develop programs throughout the year featuring movies, panel discussions, faculty forums, and art exhibits, essay contests, all meant to enhance appreciation and knowledge of the text. The Shepherdstown community will also be involved through the "One Book, One Community" program.

The book is available for checkout from the Scarborough Library and the Shepherdstown Library. It is available for purchase from the Shepherd University Bookstore and local area bookstores. For more information, contact Judi McIntyre, Director of the First-Year Experience Program, at 304/876-5396.

This I Believe is a required text in FYEX 101, 102, Philosophy 100, some first-year experience courses held in the majors and a variety of other courses on campus.

FYEX Task Force

The FYE Taskforce meets twice/semester and is responsible for advising, planning and organizing the First-Year Experience. This includes Convocation, Interest Groups, Freshman Seminar, Learning Communities, Common Reading events and the FYEX Celebration. The mission of this taskforce is to create an intentional first year program to increase student learning and to achieve higher retention between the first and second year.

Members of the FYEX Task Force - (coming soon)

FYEX Task Force Meeting Minutes Archive

Common Reading Planning Minutes

Convocation

Every fall, each new class of first-year students goes through an Orientation Program the week before classes begin. At the end of Orientation, the culminating event of entrance into the university occurs. This ceremony is called Convocation. Convocation signifies the beginning of a student’s educational journey and by which they become members of the Shepherd University community of scholars.

As a member of this scholastic community, there are many benefits and also responsibilities - one of which is academic integrity. The Student Handbook contains a description of academic integrity and what is expected of all students at Shepherd University.

“Academic honesty is expected among all Shepherd University students and members of the Shepherd community. By submitting academic work, students warrant that the work is their own and that unauthorized materials or resources were not used. Plagiarism, fraud, unauthorized use of resources—cheating in all its forms is not tolerated. All members of the Shepherd community are responsible for maintaining their own academic integrity and for reporting suspected academic dishonesty.

Academic honesty is at the core of being a scholar. As students move through their educational journey at Shepherd, this is one truth that will never leave them and will follow them into their professional and everyday lives.

Convocation Minutes

Convocation Meeting Minutes July, 6 2011
Convocation Meeting Minutes August, 2011
Convocation Meeting Minutes May 2, 2011
Convocation Meeting Minutes June 12, 2010
Convocation Meeting Minutes -June 12, 2007