Mission Statement

Austin College’s First-Year Experience program facilitates the transition and integration of new students into the intellectual, cultural, and social climate of the College.  By adopting a developmental approach aligned with Austin College’s core mission and purpose, the First-Year Experience focuses on empowering first-year students to discover the liberal arts by cultivating productive habits of mind and meaningful relationships for living and learning in a community with others.

Throughout their first year at Austin College, students will develop a sense of belonging by connecting to campus academically, socially, and practically as they learn the academic literacies, resources, traditions, and customs key to student engagement and success.  The First-Year Experience motivates students to become engaged members of the Austin College community in all of its many facets.

Key Components of the First-Year Experience

Introduction to College Expectations, Requirements, & Processes

To provide a foundation for new students from all backgrounds to become full participants in the mission of the college, first-year students should gain some understanding of the particularities of this experience.  These include the following (in no particular order):

• The expectations and advantages of a liberal arts undergraduate education.
• Approaching new experiences with an open mind
• The importance of academic integrity & ethical behavior
• The adjustment from high school to college
  • Self-Management
    • Dealing with the academic workload (including managing assignments, exams, and readings)
    • Understanding faculty expectations
    • Understanding the consequences of not meeting those expectations
    • Managing obligations (including coursework, extracurriculars, work, social life, and family)
    • Developing a sense of independence
  • How to read and make use of course documents including syllabi
  • Communicating professionally with staff, faculty, & others
  • Orientation to the Compass Curriculum

Introduction to the Austin College Campus

Though many elements of the first year of college life are common across institutions, there are various offices, departments, and services that are particular to the Austin College campus and require direct orientation such as:

• Food Service
• Dickey Fitness Pavilion
• Service Station
• Financial Aid
• The Business Office
• Student Life Office (Residence Life, Student Activities, Student Conduct)
• Informational Technology (IT)
• Campus Police & Public Safety Department
• Adams Center (Health & Counseling Services)
• Abell Library
• Academic Skills Center
• Scarbrough Center for Writing
• Career Services
• Webhopper

Foundation for Academic Skills

There are a variety of academic skills that students need to be successful in their college work.  In their first year, students should be engaged in experiences designed to hone skills including the following (in no particular order):

• Metacognitive skills: the ability to think about how one learns, learning how to learn
• Critical thinking
• Writing
• Information literacy
• Quantitative literacy
• Reading academic material
• Exam preparation
• Oral presentation
• Study skills
• Note-taking

Living & Learning in Community

At Austin College, the learning and growth you experience in the classroom, lab, and beyond is supported by your experiences living on campus.  Our residential communities are your home away from home for the majority of your time at Austin College. Fully trained residential life staff are here to help you as you experience sharing space and ideas, making and enforcing rules, and taking care of yourself and others.

• Facilitating communication between roommates & community members
• Establishing healthy boundaries & respecting others’ boundaries
• Consideration of others with whom you share living space
• Asking for help when needed
• Developing basic life skills

Promotion of Wellness

Austin College views students as whole people, and as such recognizes the need for students to attend to their wellness in multiple ways.  In particular, students in the first year should receive information and support targeted to the needs of, and the risks faced by a college population.  These elements include (in no particular order):

• Awareness of policies, procedures, and recommendations regarding drug/alcohol use and sexual assault on campus
• An introduction to addressing mental health issues (particularly depression and anxiety)
• Discussions of the importance of maintaining physical health, including the value of sleep, strategies for time management, adequate nutrition, and exercise
• Attention paid to the value of community and social integration on campus
• Efforts to get involved on campus through extracurricular, co-curricular, and social activities
• Information about financial literacy as pertains to the experiences of a college student
• Support for various marginalized identity groups, including (but not limited to) gender identity, LGBTQIA+ students, first-generation college students, students with disabilities, students of color, and students from financially disadvantaged backgrounds

Intentional Planning for the College Career

In addition to acclimating to the college environment, students in the first year should also begin considering the path they plan to take through their time at Austin College.  Elements of this component include (in no particular order):

• Thinking concretely about their academic program, including course selection
• Considering the experiences Austin College is uniquely able to provide in support of undergraduate education, including internships, study abroad, research opportunities, prestigious scholarships, etc.
• Thinking about exploring how to develop a meaningful life
• Encouragement of the exploration and discovery that is at the heart of the liberal arts experience
• A framework for managing uncertainty or a change of direction
• An understanding of how to leverage a liberal arts education into a compelling case for post-graduate employment

Habits of Mind

Threaded throughout all of these elements is a focus on helping first-year students develop the various habits of mind that characterize a strong and meaningful liberal arts education.  These include (in no particular order):

• Curiosity
• Openness
• Strategies for managing and responding to feedback
• Coping with failure and discomfort
• Self-advocacy
• Reflection
• Persistence & resilience
• Empathy & compassion
• Commitment to excellence and developmental experience
• Self-development & self-improvement

Development of Community

Students should feel that they belong to the Austin College community and are vibrant and contributing members of that community.  Students should feel ownership over their college experience.  Embracing students’ individuality in determining their contribution to that campus community.  Inviting students into different types of community:

• Intellectual community
• Residential community
• Social community
• Local & regional community