First Year Experience Program (FYEX)

Starting a university education is an exciting time. It's a time when the social sphere widens, interests deepen, and the challenges of keeping up with everything become even greater. During this transitional time, students 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 students acclimate to university life, integrate into the campus community, and enjoy academic success. And by the way, the courses are even fun!

Find an Interest Group or Learning Community that's just for you!

CLICK HERE to view the Fall 2008 FYEX BROCHURE!

Types of courses offered within our First-Year Experience:

Interest Groups

Interest Groups allow students to register for fun, 1 credit courses in which a mentor/instructor (who is a faculty member, staff member or administrator) leads the group in exploring a specific “interest.” Topics such as Creative Writing, Yoga, Scrapbooking, Thai Cooking and Fly Fishing have been held in the past. The semester consisted of weekly small group sessions where students work with the mentor/instructor on the interest itself and other topics related to transition to college life. Three large group sessions are held during the semester when all students enrolled in interest groups gather as one large group and address topics like college survival skills, wellness and diversity. A culminating celebration dinner completes the semester.

Learning Communities

First-Year Seminars (PHIL 199)

Beginning Fall Semester 2008, six sections of First-Year Seminar (PHIL 199) will be offered. This course earns 3 credits and will include a mix of “how to be a successful university student” and “learning to learn” topics. This is an academic class geared toward first-year students. For more information, contact the Center for Teaching and Learning at 876-5461.

Learning Communities are designed to link courses that are part of the General Studies Program. A cohort of students enrolls in both courses and professors teaching the courses work together to interface course material. In some cases, the two professors team-teach and are involved in both courses. Often the professors work together outside of the classroom to form links in course material. Students benefit from this interwoven approach to subjects such as Written English/Political Science, English/Biology, English/Music/Library and History/Music. Field trips, which are financed by the FYEX program, are often planned in these courses to further unify the subjects and material. Students earn credits assigned to each course in the Learning Community.

Honors First-Year Core

Honors First-Year Core courses are required for all first-year Honors students. The Core is a two-semester learning community style set of courses that introduce Honors students to major types of expository and critical writing in conjunction with the study of Western civilization. Topics focus on philosophical thought throughout history with emphasis on changes in government, economics, arts, science, and literature. Field trips include trips to Washington, New York, and Baltimore museums and theaters. Trips focus on the literary and historical connections of political thought and literary development.

Interest Group Mentor & Peer Educator Information

Syllabus Template for Fall 2008 Interest Groups

Timeline & Schedule for Fall 2008 Interest Groups (PDF Document)

Timeline & Schedule for Fall 2008 Interest Groups (Word Document)

IG Instructor Info: "Everyone Has Their Own Backyard"

IG Instructor Info: "Relationship Toolkit"

IG Instructor Info: "Is My Relationship Healthy?"

FYEX PEER Educator

PEER Educator List (fall 2008)

One Book, One Community & The Common Reading Program

THE 2008-2009 SHEPHERD UNIVERSITY COMMON READING SELECTION:

For complete details about events surrounding Persepolis this fall, visit:

The Common Reading Website

We are pleased to announce that Persepolis, a graphic novel by Marjane Satrapi, has been chosen by the campus community to serve as our Fall 2008 Common Reading.

The book will be given to all first-year students when they arrive for advisement and registration in late June and July. It will also be given to faculty and staff members who plan to use the book in their classes. Themes from the book will be used to develop programs throughout the year featuring musicians, movies, panel discussions, faculty forums, and art exhibits to enhance appreciation and knowledge of the text. The Shepherdstown community will also be involved through the "One Book, One Community" program.

Persepolis is a wise, funny, and heartbreaking memoir of growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution. In black-and-white comic strip images, Satrapi tells the story of her life in Tehran from age 6 to 14 that saw the overthrow of the Shah's regime, the triumph of the Islamic Revolution, and the devastating effects of war with Iraq. Satrapi bears witness to a childhood uniquely entwined with the history of her country.

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.

FYEX Task Force

The FYE Taskforce meets monthly and is responsible for planning and organizing the First Year Experience. This includes the opening Convocation, Interest Groups, Learning Communities, and the FYE Celebration at the end of fall semester. 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