Fall 2008 

First Year Experience Reflection

St. Norbert College’s First Year Experience (FYE) is a program intended to help first-year students succeed in their first year here at St. Norbert College. FYE starts with summer orientation. Parents of first-year students may recall their students meeting with their FYE group during orientation this past summer.

The FYE groups meet once a week with their student FYE mentor for six weeks, beginning at the start of their first semester. Some of the topics discussed include: personal choices for wellness and healthy living, academic and intellectual development, and respect for the human spirit.

Noah Marlowe ’12 offers his reflection: “My personal experience with FYE was overall a good one. My mentor was knowledgeable and was very laid back. Mainly what I got out of the experience was a feel for the college and the type of atmosphere here. Going to FYE and meeting the people that I did, really made me feel more comfortable and at home at the college.” 

Sara Coursin ’12 had a similar experience. “I had a very positive experience with the FYE program. I was able to meet a lot of new people, one of them being my roommate for this year. Joy was in my summer orientation FYE group. If it wasn’t for FYE, I would not have decided to room with Joy and the school year for me would have started out very different. Through FYE, I was able to connect with people that I found were in my classes, and it made the transition from high school to college much smoother. FYE was very helpful in getting me acquainted with the school because of the tour I attended at one of the first FYE sessions. I would have to say the best part was the free food and the ability to talk among peers that were all going through the same transition.”        

Through peer to peer mentoring, FYE provides students with the tools they need to transition successfully to St. Norbert College. Read more about FYE online at www.snc.edu/fye.