1. Honors Early Move-in Program and Welcome Lecture with Dr
Honors Early Move-in Program and Welcome Lecture with Dr. Temple Grandin: A lesson in common reading experiences
Judi Bryant, Honors Program Don Mykles, Honors Program
Teresa Metzger, Residence Life
Teresa leads with intor

2. Why create an Early Move-in and Welcome Lecture for new Honors students?
Teresa

3. Honors / Residence Life Partnership
The Honors Office is located in Academic Village.
The Honors Residential Learning Community is located in Honors and Aspen Hall in the Academic and Edwards Hall.
Honors and Residence Life work together to support residential students in the RLC through programming, student support, and creating an academic environment in the halls
Teresa

4. Opportunity, Innovation, and Intentionality
In an effort to accommodate the growing population of on campus students, limited parking, and traffic management, Residence Life invited Honors and others learning communities to move in early on Wednesday.
Required academic programming for residents moving in early.
Honors come up with a engaging schedule for Honors students for the Wednesday and Thursday before Ram Welcome started.
Teresa

5. Overview for the event Early Move-in on Wednesday,
August 17th from 8am-4pm
Small group discussion 6-6:45pm
Lecture with Temple Grandin 7-8pm
Community Service Experience,
8 locations in Loveland/Fort Collins. Coordinated by SLiCE in Various locations 9am – 1pm, Thursday, August 18th
Judy

6. Choosing a book and a speaker
Showcasing CSU faculty.
Engaging students in small group discussion.
Cost effective.
Don

7. Planning What worked well: Keep the schedule simple, don’t over plan.
Meet with recitation groups.
What to consider in the future:
More time in the future
More time to eat.
Coordination space and locations
Judi

8. Messaging and Expectations to new Honors Students
Share information about the event at Ram Orientation
Provide book during Honors presentation.
Required to attend lecture and service.
Reminder in the Honors Welcome letter.
Judi

9. Common Reading Experience: What?
• Book chosen for all entering students (or a targeted group)
• Series of events to promote a common intellectual experience
• Faculty, staff & extended community participate
• Are academically oriented
• Promote reading, critical thinking, & discussion skills
• Focus on a theme generated from the selected work
• Used in 40% of orientation and first-year experience programs. (AAC&U, 2014)
Teresa

10. The role of Mentors Organize recitation
Participation in small group discussions.
Organizing and led service groups on Thursday.
Judi

11. The role of Faculty Lead discussion. Create connection.
Not lecture structure.
Prepare students for
classroom setting.
Don

12. Faculty Impressions
I do think that the Temple Grandin event was very successful, at least from my vantage point of reading the book, facilitating a discussion prior to her talk, hearing her and then asking my seminar students about their reactions. 
Thanks for the opportunity to lead a group.. I had a ball and I think we shared 45 minutes of meaningful discussion.
Don

13. Student Evaluation
The evaluation was provided to first year students in the twelfth week of the semester. There were 168 responses returned.
When asked to give two words that described the student’s experience with the Temple Grandin presentation, over 95% respondents gave positive words. The most common words were
Enlightening (11)
Eye Opening (10)
Educational and Insightful (6)
Intriguing and unique (50
Engaging and Enjoyable 3
Thought provoking, Fun, Fascinating, Motivating and Different (2)
Judi/Don

14. When asked to provide one word describing their experience in the group discussion of the book, the word “awkward” surfaced most with nine students citing it. In addition, there were three responses that evidenced discomfort with the experience (stressful, overwhelming, and nerve wracking). Three students used the word “timid” and one used the word “quiet”. Four students used the word “unnecessary”.
In rating the experience as a means of identifying with the first year Honors community, nearly two thirds indicated it was very or somewhat helpful (63.6%). Almost a third (31.5%) were neutral. Only 4.8% indicated it was not helpful.
Judi/Don

15. Additional Reflections
Two comments were heart warming:
“It was very good for “setting the pace” and getting going on school and the Honors Program” and
“It was nice to see and hear a famous CSU professor and have a discussion with my recitation”.
On the other hand, one student commented:
“You didn’t have to read the whole book. Which is really imposing to expect people to do so in their last summer vacation before college”.
Judi/Don

16. Future Plans Next year’s book: For the Love of Rivers (2015),
Dr. Kirk Fausch,
CSU Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Biology,
Warner College Faculty
Don

17. Questions