1. Moving Beyond Co-existing: Streamlining a Holistic Student Experience
Christine Krieger and Stacy Cooper Patterson
Goucher College

2. Session Agenda Overview of Goucher College Overview of current program
History
The Years
Student Leadership Model
Lessons and Learnings

3. Goucher College Small, liberal arts college with 1500 students
Just outside of Baltimore, MD
Former women’s institution
PWI

4. The Basics
First Year Experience involves three components, all facilitated by First Year Mentors (FYMs)
Summer mentoring: FYMs incoming students twice weekly about a scheduled topic
Fall orientation: Four-day immersive experience that allows students to get comfortable with campus and each other
First Year Experience course (FYE 134): Seven-week course covering a range of topics, including consent, community, identity and equity, and balance and moderation

5. Program History
FYE started as two programs: Orientation and Connections
Orientation included a five-day fall program, and it was crammed full of information
Easy to recruit student leaders
Connections was a 10-week course with a history of different types of instructors, credits, and topics
Difficult to recruit student leaders
Harmful to students with traditionally marginalized identities

6. Year One: So Many People, So Much Mess
January is a hard time to start a new program for February
Building trust can be tricky
External pressure was intense
But where’s the budget?

7. Year One: So Many People, So Much Mess
The Good
Student leaders started to trust us, and they helped us with rebranding
FYMs were able to support students emotionally
The Bad
Rebranding was largely unsuccessful with faculty and staff, and students still compared the program to Connections
FYMs were overwhelmed
Program not deemed a priority by the College
Outside consultants had a singular focus

8. Year Two: Redemption The Good The Bad Two amazing student chairs
Shortened class to seven weeks
Cleaned up orientation
Created gap year group
The Bad
So many white people
Faculty and staff not onboard
Figuring out transfer student experience
FYMs walked out of training

9. Year Three: Refining The Good The Bad Very strong student leaders
People forgot about Connections
Tone change for recruitment
New identity consultant
The Bad
Budgeting issues
Party of one (and a half)

10. Year Four: Rebuilding The Good The Bad Young team that clicked
Transfer mentor
Solid curriculum
The Bad
Lots of new hands in the pot

11. Year Five: Joy and Engagement

12. Why Student Leaders?
Peer leadership is instrumental in helping students as they transition
Quick way for students to find upper division mentors
Easier to relate to the student experience

13. Why This Model Works
FYMs are passionate about helping other and investing in their own communities
FYMs build trust with their groups throughout the summer and fall orientation, so its easier to tackle difficult topics
We create a warm and welcoming environment for new students and their families
FYMs are always ready to give us feedback

14. Challenges One FYM leaves every year
Job is emotionally taxing for FYMs
Students are teaching other students about identity and equity
Others want to add more to FYM role
Burden of retention

15. Lessons and Learnings Student leaders are great and challenging
Changing campus culture takes a cycle of students
Emotional labor is a huge component
Remaining stagnant is never an option

16. Questions? Christine Krieger Christine.Krieger@goucher.edu
Stacy Cooper Patterson