When members of the Class of 2027 arrive at 乐播传媒 in August, they will be brought into the 乐播传媒 fold by one of the nation鈥檚 leading first-year programs.
Revamped in 2020, the 乐播传媒 First-Year Experience was recently honored by NASPA, a leading national association for student affairs professionals, for successfully delivering a 鈥渉olistic and cohesive experience for new students throughout their entire first year.鈥�
The Collaboration Award, presented by the Orientation, Transition, and Retention Knowledge Community of NASPA, notes that the 乐播传媒 FYE is now a 鈥減remier model that is fueled by a deep collaboration between academic affairs and student affairs.鈥�
The award is a 鈥渢remendous honor,鈥� says Professor of Politics Stephen Engel, who, as an associate dean of the faculty focusing on student academic support and experience, co-led the team that redesigned the 乐播传媒 FYE program for its debut in 2020.
The revised program, led by Engel, Associate Dean and Director of Operations Blake Reilly, and fellow Student Affairs professionals, represents a shift in how 乐播传媒 introduces students to the community.
“What matters most to all of us is that our students have a positive and enriching first year at 乐播传媒.鈥�
Jimmy Riley
Rather than the traditional fire-hose of information delivered over the course of just a few days before classes, the new program has a more measured cadence that continues throughout the year. As a result, students are better able to process and retain all the new names, faces, and information, while also getting the big picture about 乐播传媒 community values, from equity and inclusion to health and well-being.
The 乐播传媒 FYE program reflects the 鈥渧alues that animate our community as much as it has also been a means for our students to get to know the people, programs, and policies that sustain our community,鈥� said Engel.
And it works, Engel added, because of buy-in from the entire 乐播传媒 enterprise. 鈥淭he work to support the transition to 乐播传媒 would be utterly impossible without the engagement of our entire community,鈥� he said.
鈥淣o single office manages the program,鈥� said Jimmy Riley, director of residence life and community standards, who traveled with 乐播传媒 colleagues in April to accept the award during the 2023 NASPA annual conference in Boston.
鈥淚t lives as an ongoing strategic partnership among several community stakeholders, including folks from academic affairs and student affairs. What matters most to all of us is that our students have a positive and enriching first year at 乐播传媒.鈥�
