The Tiger

Issue date: 9/5/08 Section: News

Media Credit: unknown

While Solid Orange football Saturdays, afternoons spent tossing the Frisbee on Bowman Field and all-you-can-eat breakfasts at Harcombe Dining Hall are aspects of college life that make one's time at Clemson unique, perhaps the most unifying aspects of being a new student on campus is the University's First Year Experience program.
According to its Web site, the mission of Clemson's First Year Experience (FYE) program is to "enhance the greater missions of the Division of Student Affairs and the University through student centered services and programs." The FYE program also aims to serve as a liaison between students and campus resources, services and opportunities that help students on both a personal and academic level.
The FYE program is organized into "cornerstones," ideas that embody what the University deems is important for students entering Clemson. These four concepts include academic achievement, community development, interpersonal development and civic engagement.
With focus areas such as tutoring services, academic integrity, social activities, life skills training, decision-making, health and wellness and personal ethics, the FYE program provides students with resources to meet every need of a first-year Tiger.
According to Holmes Hall Resident Assistant (RA) junior Stephanie Swift, one of the main objectives of an RA is to make the freshman experience as positive as possible.
"The [FYE] program wants to push freshmen to excel in academics and to excel in making Clemson home," said Swift.
The RA serves as the frontline of the first year experience and focuses on all four blocks of the FYE program, which are academic achievement, community development, civil engagement and interpersonal development, while their main focus is the development of the community.
Swift attributes the bulk of the impact on the first year to RAs and Housing in general. "Because students have the most contact with them, RAs are usually also the most trusted and confided in, which in turn allows the RAs to have a greater impact on the students."
RAs are an integral part of the FYE program and often have the responsibility to serve as role models to new students.
"We want to encourage residents to be active and social and comfortable on the hall and we do that through programs, both social and academic." said Swift.
According to Swift, a successful freshman year involves engagement, both academically and socially, in any clubs the student is interested in, and student growth and development.
John Cannavan, sophomore engineering major, said he looks back on his freshman year positively.
"I liked being a freshman," said Cannavan. "The first activity that was awesome was the events leading up to the Florida State football game. Everything from the parade to the soccer game that night to the game itself on Labor Day was great."
On the other hand, a bad first year usually involves little activity outside of class, or even in class, and a lack of meaningful connections with peers.
Swift believes that many freshman students base the success of their year on either grades or social life as opposed to their level of involvement and growth.
Cannavan said he would advise first-year Clemson students to take advantage of all that the University has to offer. "Have some fun," said Cannavan. "You shouldn't spend all your time studying. Join intramurals or go to the lake."

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