11 Get to Know Your New Community
Know Your Community
Learning Objectives
By the end of this module, you will:
- Hear from students and their experiences as they transitioned to college
- Identify areas, outside of athletics, that Lehman has to offer and that you can take advantage of
- Consider the steps in building relationships and communicating effectively wiith other students, faculty, and staff
This module is really about getting to know more about Lehman, how to meet people and ways other activities can enrich their college experience and make it more fun.
Club Central and Student Life
Club central is the place for students to find out about clubs and events. https://clubs.lehman.edu/ Many events take place in the student life building (SLB) located at the south end of campus. Students don’t need to be in a club, they can go to the SLB and hang out, play games and study.
Library tour
The library will be offering group tours. There will be more library activities, but just getting the students in the door and knowing where things are is a great first step.
Other things on campus
It’s great if you can have your students become comfortable on campus and learn their way around. Some instructors have done scavenger hunts, walking tours or visits to specific places on campus such as the Art Gallery, Student Life Building or maybe exploring the tunnels. If you have pre-nursing students
Recommended reading time
Chapter overview
Community and belonging is an important part of college success- both in terms of learning and in persistence to graduation. Students who feel they belong are more likely to seek help when needed, connect with faculty and other students, and meet challenges with a growth mindset. But, getting to know new people and places can be exciting- even if it is exciting. For many students, the pull between their previous community (high school), the current community of family and friends, and the new college community can be stressful.
This chapter was written to help students understand their new community and how to engage with it. It begins with a chance for students to reflect on who they are and where they are now, as well as who they spend time with. It then introduces a bit about college and who attends college in the US. The chapter then moves into how to find support on campus, how to get to know new people, and how to work in groups.
Linked Lesson/Activity:
What clubs and organizations do you want to learn about, and what events do you want to attend? Have students look at what is available and what fits with their interests. Identify 3 possible clubs or organizations you’d like to find out more about. Identify 1 event you’d like to attend
Student learning outcomes
By the end of this chapter, you will:
- Consider community and the communities you are a part of
- Identify groups on campus that provide support you and other first-year students can work with
- Determine how you can meet people and work with other students in and out of the classroom
Questions to use for discussions, assignments, and reflections
Who do I interact with in my daily life, outside of college?
What traits do these people share? How are they different from each other?
Who in your life outside of college supports you in your college and career goals?
Where can I find each of these, and what support does each provide?
- Counseling services
- Health services
- Basic needs
- Advising
- Tutoring
How have I met people and made friends in the past?
What have I/will I do now that I’m in college
What is my experience with group work?
What role do I tend to take in group work?
What do I think of the idea of contracts for group work?
Who do you want to have in your community this year? Next year? In 10 years? What steps can you take?
Possible assignments and activities
- Identify 3 steps you plan on taking to build your community
- Have students interview someone in their current community, and someone in their new Lehman community about their goals, habits, beliefs, and suggestions for building a good life.
- Ask students to either:
- attend a club/organization meeting and write about what they learned
- visit a campus place (e.g., gym, art installation) and write about their experience
- attend an event and write about it
- Have students pick a campus group or department and create an advertisement (that could be shared on social media or in print) about what they have to offer students
Notes
This is a good chapter to complete as students learn about the campus and feel comfortable. It could be done in the first two weeks as it sets the stage for building community and belonging or in the third week as students feel more comfortable navigating Lehman.