First YEAR SUCCESS PROGRAM

1. First YEAR SUCCESS PROGRAM By: Christine Ung & Spencer Graham

2. Existing campus programming • Faculty societies • Flexible, low commitment, faculty/ program-specific mentorship • Student Success Centre • SOAR, MOOSE, extended orientation • Maroons • Social based mentorship program • Horizons & Clay • 3-day, 2-night conference

3. Recommendation • A structured mentorship and leadership program as an MSU service specifically for first year students in order to facilitate continuous support, formation of cross-faculty and within-faculty connections, student interests through placements, and exposure to various campus resources.

4. Program objectives • A sense of comfort and connection with McMaster University • Knowledge and exposure to the available resources on campus • Strong connections with first and upper year students • Strategies and tips on how to succeed academically • Personal insight into goals and interests and learn how to achieve those goals through active participation and reflection • Essential skills to be active leaders on campus and in the classroom • Self-reflection skills to be applied to future experiences and classroom learning

5. Program components • Leadership and personal development sessions • Theme that corresponds to what a first year student typically experiences at that time • Non-faculty specific • Same groups meet for weekly 1 hour sessions, led by upper year students • Reliable support network • Exposure to campus resources, setting the stage for future use • Learn valuable transferable skills through team building activities and self-reflection • Examples: leadership, teambuilding, self-confidence at university, staying on top of it: time management, setting program and personal learning goals, mental health and wellness

6. Program components • Self-directed activities • Promotes involvement • Allows students to explore their interests through active participation • Students gain knowledge about what clubs or organizations are all about • Collaborative effort • Examples: academic skills workshop at SSC, yoga class, sign language class, hike in Cootes, volunteer for MSU events: Trick or Eat, Night Market, Charity Ball, Snow Angel program.

7. Program components • Open study groups • Faculty specific • Rooms in MUSC or libraries • Learning communities • Opportunity for first year students to get together, meet others in their faculty, share ideas, and explain concepts. • Opportunity to collaborate with faculty societies • Mentorship embedded within program

8. How is the program unique? • Addresses academic, personal and social aspects of first year success • Group based approach • Drawing in campus resources • Development of leadership and reflection skills • Students try a range of activities to spark interests • Learning communities

9. Expectations and incentives • Program expectations: • Attend a minimum of 80% of the sessions • Complete 3 self-directed activities • Student incentives: • Recognized MSU certificate • Year-end recognition dinner

10. The pilot • 1 Coordinator, 10 Success Facilitators • Target numbers: 50-60 first year students • Registration in August and Early September • 5 groups – Mon-Fri • Term 1: leadership development sessions, term 2: monthly socials • Gather feedback on program timeline, staffing, sessions and activities, student participation

11. ANTICIPATED costs • Budget for wages: $5,500 • Advertising and promotions: $2,000 • Programming material and events: $2,500

12. ROLE OF PTM • Summer: meetings with relevant campus partners, organizing program calendar, setting up registration, booking rooms, training SFs, preparing promotional and program materials. • Academic year: overseeing the program, managing SFs, tracking and ensuring program requirements are met for first year participants, organizing term 2 events and recognition dinner.

13. THANK YOU!