New Student Resources

New Student Programs, in collaboration with other departments throughout the University, assists new students and families with the transition to ý. New Student Programs in conjunction with other university office promote student success, you can find information on several below:

Orientation

Orientation is specifically designed to meet the needs of the students who attend these sessions. Throughout these sessions, students are introduced to a number of resources on campus, especially those that focus on assisting students in succeeding academically. During the Orientation experience, students will have an opportunity to work with academic advisors, register for courses, and meet other new students. For more information about each specific orientation and transition programs, visit .

Advising Information

Sites to Assist with Course Selection


  • Provides information about academic programs and majors

  • Provides classes offered for upcoming semesters included meeting times and course descriptions; also provides the opportunity to view classes by General Education requirement

For more information about each specific orientation and transition program, visit the section.

First Year Experience (FYE) Classes

UNIV 101/UNIV 103 are two-credit seminar courses for first-semester first-year students. UNIV offers a blended course format, team-taught by a faculty member and a professional staff member. The course includes two primary components, one focusing on an interesting academic topic, with the second component devoted to new student transition topics. For more information about FYE Classes visit online or talk with a Professional Advisor or Orientation Advisor during summer Orientation. 

Emerging Leaders Program

The Emerging Leaders Program (ELP) is a semester-long certificate program for entering first-semester students (freshmen and transfers) who are interested in learning about and practicing leadership, becoming connected to the university and local community and developing important skills for success in college and life. Emerging Leaders join one of six small groups of approximately thirteen new students in a specialized “Knowledge Community” (KC), based on their area of interest, providing a lens from which to explore and practice leadership.  Each Knowledge Community is led by a leadership team consisting of trained undergraduate peer mentors along with a faculty program advisor and professional staff program advisor. Emerging Leaders participate in a workshop series, networking and professional development activities, and weekly KC meetings.  As a way to put leadership skills into action, the new students within each KC work together to develop and implement a team-initiated service-learning project in the local community during the semester-long program. The ELP takes place only during the fall semester. 

New students can apply to be part of the ELP through an online application (applications are due in early August). For more information about the ELP, visit /programs/emerging-leaders.