First Year Experience Program (FYE)
First-Year Experience Program (FYE)
The First-Year Experience (FYE) program, essential for all incoming undergraduate first-year students, is focused on teaching Fairfield's core Jesuit values, cultivating student self-discovery, and exploring the importance of community. This year-long program includes a weekly fall seminar, designated campus events for students to attend, and a mentoring program.
FYE groups are led by a faculty or staff community associate and a New Student Leader (NSL), who facilitates the FYE seminar and serve as a resource for first years in their transition to Fairfield.
- New Student Leaders (NSLs): A New Student Leader is a student who was selected after an intensive hiring process to serve the role of mentor, advisor, acquaintance, facilitator, and resource for incoming students. The NSL co-facilitates the FYE seminar with a CA in order to discuss different issues and topics relating to the first-year experience at Fairfield University. The NSL is a trained Peer Academic Advisor.
- Community Associates (CAs): A Community Associate is a faculty or staff member who co-facilitates the FYE seminar and brings professional experience, wisdom, and guidance to their group. The CA will serve as an advisor and resource to first year students as well as an advocate for establishing a sense of community amongst their group.
The First-Year Experience program strives to provide students with:
- An understanding of the rich history and tradition of the Society of Jesus and Ignatian spirituality
- The impetus to fully engage in their college community by exploring all the opportunities for learning
- An exposure to the resources available to them to fully engage in curricular and co-curricular experiences
- Access to the many wonderful events, programs, and services available at Fairfield
- The tools necessary to live a reflective life
- The passion to serve others in this community and our global world
- Peer Academic Advising on their academic endeavors
First-Year Experience Groups
This upcoming year, first-year students stay with the groups formed at Orientation and participate as a group in the First Year Experience (FYE) program, which commences in the fall. The FYE program provides a foundational understanding of the Fairfield experience and will empower students to take advantage of all Fairfield has to offer. The program consists of a non-credited weekly seminar, mentorship, and attendance at signature campus and FYE events throughout the academic year. FYE explores academic planning, hookup culture, time-management, roommate conflict, homesickness, financial literacy, and more.
There are three types of FYE sections; one is related to a common theme (arts, sports, etc.), another is related to a student's living and learning community, LLC, (healthy living, service learning) in the residence hall, and another is the open section which is not associated with a particular common theme nor LLC.
- FYE (non LLC) Themed Sections
These sections have a common theme and are not tied to a student's living environment (i.e., residence hall)
- FYE (LLC) Sections
These sections are connected to the student's living environment (i.e., residence hall). These are known as Living and Learning Communities (LLCs). LLCs are designated, themed floors in the residence halls.
- FYE (Open) Sections
These sections are not connected with a common theme nor an LLC, however it continues to focus on developing a community with other members of the Class of 2016. It is open for all discussions on a variety of topics.
FYE (non LLC) Sections
Artistic Group: Students will explore the traditional FYE curriculum while infusing "art" as part of students' transitional phase to college. All students need is a passion for creativity!
Men's Group: Students will explore the traditional FYE curriculum while examining their gender identity as men.
Music Group: Students will explore the traditional FYE curriculum while infusing music as part of students' transitional phase to college. Playing an instrument is NOT a requirement. All students need is a passion for music!
Spiritual Exploration Group: Students will explore the traditional FYE curriculum while infusing spiritual development as part of their transitional phase to college. All students need is a passion for exploring the "big" questions of life. All students, regardless of religious affiliation, are welcome to participate in this group.
Sports Group: Students will use dialogue about sports as a way to highlight various parts of the transitional phase between high school and college. Students will explore topics relating to sports and society. All students need is a passion for sports!
Social Justice Group: Students will look at and evaluate who they are as individuals, who they are in relation to others, and what they can do as a global community. Through the lens of social justice and identity development, the students will look at issues both on campus and off campus as a way to understand their impact on the world and the impact the world has on them.
Women's Group: Students will explore the traditional FYE curriculum while examining their gender identity as women.
FYE (LLC) Sections
Living and Learning Communities (LLCs) are designated floors in the residence halls that participate together in the FYE program. These floors provide specialized support, unique programming, and an opportunity to collaborate and interface with faculty and administration.
Please note: If you are interested in living in one of these LLC communities, you have the option to select your desired living and learning community when you fill out your First-Year Housing Application. To be in one of the following LLC FYE groups you must live in the community.
Healthy Living: The Healthy Living floor is a community that focuses on a holistic view of living healthy, including nutrition, exercise, being substance free, stress management, and sharing information on how to be a part of and build a healthy community.
Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (WiSTEM): The WiSTEM floor is a place where women can support other women pursuing the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics while building community beyond traditional academic boundaries. WiSTEM offers in-hall tutoring, opportunities to interact outside of the classroom with faculty, staff, and professionals, and specialized programs geared towards academic interest as well as special events.
Man 2 Man: Man 2 Man aims to assist first-year male students with their transition to college through bi-weekly events that build brotherhood and community. Through involving upper-class mentors and male faculty and staff, the program seeks to provide a foundation for building meaningful connections. This program is intended for committed male residents who are searching for the sense of brotherhood that they enjoyed in high school.
Leadership Through Service: This community is intended to bring together first-year students who aspire to make a difference. This program will help students focus on self-discovery, explore questions of identity, and develop and deepen the vocation to engage in competent, creative leadership that works for the common good. Two FYE sections are associated with leading through service:
- Service Learning: Students will engage in the local community and connect their service experience with what they are learning and discussing in the FYE program related to active learning, critical reflection, service, and social justice.
- JUHAN: Students will engage and learn more about The Jesuit Universities Humanitarian Action Network (JUHAN). Students will explore humanitarian action initiatives and begin to prepare for humanitarian action for career development or preparation to fulfill everyday civic responsibilities.