The offices of Student Development and Academic Affairs have partnered to create unique experiences for first year students. Our First Year Experience (FYE) program is designed to provide support and encouragement to new students at Young Harris College to help ensure their personal and academic success. Students who actively engage in the FYE components are more likely to be successful and have a more enriching college experience. Two very important pieces of the FYE program are the First Year Foundations course and Common Reading Program.
Previous First Year Experience Events
New Student Dinner
The Student Development Office partnered with Sodexo, YHC’s food service provider, to host a special dinner for all new first-year and transfer students. More than 200 students attended and dined on steak, chicken, pasta, and a generous selection of desserts. During dinner current student leaders took time to check-in on these students to see how everything was going and troubleshoot any problems they might be having.
Fall Break Trip to New Orleans
During fall break in 2011. a group of 24 students and three faculty/staff members traveled to New Orleans, Louisiana. The activities of the trip centered around the themes of the First Year Experience Common Reading book Zeitoun by Dave Eggers. The highlight of the trip was an invitation to Al-Rahma Mosque where Abdulrahman Zeitoun attends. While there, students had dinner with local Muslim students from Tulane University and University of New Orleans and a question and answer session with Zeitoun himself. Throughout the trip students served by volunteering at a local animal rescue, Second Harvest Food Bank, and with the St. Bernard Project to work on houses in areas still devastated by Hurricane Katrina. The group also gained valuable knowledge by touring the Lower 9th Ward, Treme and African American Heritage Museum, and speaking with representatives from the Southern Poverty Law Center about the work they do with underrepresented populations. On top of all that, they still had enough free time to explore New Orleans.
FYF Gatherings
During each First Year Foundations class (FOUN 1000), students designed and voted on an event for the class to put together. This gave the group a chance to gather after the class formally ended to check in with each other. Events ranged from gathering at the instructors house for games and food to hosting a lake cleanup day.
For more information, email the Office of Student Development or call (706) 379-5118.