Celebrating the END of 1st Year: Roundtable discussion28th Annual Conference on the First Year ExperienceOrlando, FLFebruary 8-10, 2009

Kurt PennerCoordinator, Student Life & DevelopmentKurt.penner@kwantlen.ca www.kwantlen.ca/sld Surrey, British Columbia, Canada

Agenda Introduction (Topic, Facilitator) Participants & Goals (Vast majority of participants don’t

currently do something like this and would like to consider it)

Guided Discussion Why/why not have a Celebration at the END of 1st year? What is done? What models are out there? When can it be done? Who is it for? Who participates? Student voice? Assessment? Lessons, ideas to share?

Concluding remarks

Orientation, FYE Seminars etc:

Beginning well and getting connected

How do students celebrate the end of their first year?

For common answers, simply search www.youtube.com using a phrase like, “celebrating the end of freshman year”

Why mark the END of First Year?

Attrition between 1st and 2nd year (~30%)Retention initiative?Ritual as an aid to the continuing transition processStudents are celebrating already (usually with alcohol)Potential to create a powerful, positive alternativeOpportunity to show that students matterOpportunity to celebrate our valuesOpportunity to add further community-building Does it make equal sense at more/less selective

institutions?Other ideas?Why NOT do it? Is it worth investment?

Notes on support and mattering (Rayle & Chung, 2008)

The concept of ‘mattering’ College friends’ social support feeling they matter Feeling they matter to the college Reduced academic

stress levels

What/How to Celebrate the END of 1st year?

Model 1: No intentional Celebration Model 2: A Recognition Event each May (KPU Model):

“The Celebration of Excellence” Academic Achievement Awards (the top student in

each program area) Student Leadership Awards (we want to celebrate

both academic and service/leadership values) (Previously: Faculty Teaching Excellence Awards…Concerns

from Dean(s) led to curtailing this. Recommendation to ensure appropriate selectivity)

(Nothing linked to “all students” or “celebrating survival”) Other ideas & models? (Informal party/food for students)

Some ritual-making principles (Young, 1999)

Making connections Clarifying values Symbols of significance

How can we connect? What values do we celebrate? Ideas for symbolism?

When? Is there a best time to celebrate? Before classes officially end? (the most students around?) Between classes & exams? During exams? At the end of exams? A few weeks into Summer Semester? (If you need final

grades from Spring for awards) Connected to Convocation? Connected to next Fall Orientation? Connecting to the transition into 2nd Year development Other?

Who is involved or targeted?

Top academic performers? Parents/family? Academic survivors? (large-scale?) Student leaders? Faculty? Deans Other Ideas:

1st Year Advocacy Award(s) First Year “Summit” – showcasing best work of the students Connect the event to student leadership opportunities for 2nd year

Involving students and existing groups: Design and Participation: Ideas?

Could the design include further connectivity?

Integrating 1st Year students with…

Upper year students?Peer mentors?Student leaders?Faculty?One “model” student speaker?Other?

Appropriate Assessment?

Can we assess this? (Do we assess Convocation?) What would appropriate measures & methods include? Participation numbers? Feedback comments from participants? Retention data? Beware of this method as a sole

administrative evaluation measure, depending on your context!

Other ideas? (Suggestion: As usual, plan your assessment measures/methods based on your goals ahead of time)

Other Lessons you can share?Trials, successes, failures…

Onward: Concluding remarks

Thank you for your participation!

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