2 What is the First Year Seminar, and Why Does It Matter?

The First Year Seminar (FYS) is designed to support you during your first year at LaGuardia by providing access to an extensive support network bringing together students, faculty, and staff. You will learn about your major, get to know your peers and the college, and develop the skills you need to be successful at LaGuardia and beyond. You will also participate in co-curricular activities that will help you become an active member of the college community. With the help of the college’s innovative ePortfolio technology and Degree Audit, you will explore your educational and career goals. The seminar will also connect you with the many resources available at LaGuardia, such as tutoring and transfer services or scholarship opportunities. In a studio hour led by a Student Success Mentor (SSM) —often an advanced LaGuardia student or LaGuardia graduate— you will receive additional support to enable you to make informed choices about your academic career.

To learn more about the First Year Seminar, watch The First Year Seminar at LaGuardia Community College YouTube Video:

The First Year Seminar is a course that can help you explore your major and future career with the help of faculty and peer mentors. The course will help you to be well-prepared for your academic and professional journey and introduce you to important resources.

As you watch, consider your own expectations and goals for your time at LaGuardia, and reflect on how the First Year Seminar might help you reach those expectations and goals.

First Year Seminar FAQ

What are some of the things I’ll do in the First Year Seminar?

· Work with a Student Success Mentor

             · Develop your own academic ePortfolio

             · Reflect on your academic and professional goals 

· Acquire study skills like time management, note taking, journal keeping, etc.

· Learn about course offerings at LaGuardia and build an academic plan

· Learn about transfer options and start to work toward specific transfer goals (after graduating)

· Learn about your respective major, its learning objectives, and career opportunities

· Explore LaGuardia’s co-curricular learning opportunities

Who teaches the First Year Seminar?

The First Year Seminar is taught by faculty members in the discipline. This gives students a chance to make a strong connection to a professor in their major. The studio hour is facilitated by a Student Success Mentor, usually an advanced LaGuardia student or a LaGuardia graduate.

What happens in the studio hour?

The First Year Seminar includes a studio hour facilitated by a Student Success Mentor. During this hour, each student creates an individual ePortfolio, a digital tool that enables students to collect and store their academic work; to select their best work to showcase; to reflect on their learning over time; and to connect with classmates, friends, family and employers. The studio hour also gives students a chance to consult with a peer rather than a professor. SSMs have gone through very similar experiences in their educational careers and can share a lot of useful tips and resources. To learn more about the program, visit the LaGuardia SSM webpage.

What is the purpose of an ePortfolio?

ePortfolios serve as an important component of the overall curriculum at LaGuardia Community College. Students begin the staged process of building their ePortfolios during their first semesters at the College and continuously reflect and refine their presentation as they progress. At each stage, students add more work and connect their learning to understand the process of their own growth and improvement. To learn more about the ePortfolio, go to LaGuardia’s ePortfolio page.

Watch this video to see what students are saying about the value of ePortfolio:

 The ePortfolio is a digital collection of different assignments which will help you develop key skills for your academic and professional career. ePortfolio is also a great space for you to reflect on your goals and plans and see what steps are necessary in order to reach them. 

Or check out the ePortfolio YouTube channel

What is co-curricular learning?

Co-curricular learning refers to experiences outside of the classroom that complement classroom learning. For example, you might join a student club, go on field trips, or attend events on campus.

To learn more about co-curricular learning, visit LaGuardia’s SSM site and watch this video:

Co-curricular activities have multiple benefits. Besides socializing with more students, faculty, and staff, co-curricular learning can help with developing skills that could be beneficial academically and professionally.

I’m a transfer student. Should I take the First Year Seminar?

Yes. The seminar will prove to be extremely useful as it will introduce you to LaGuardia’s courses, policies, and further transfer options

How can I get the most out of the FYS?

Here are some experience-based tips:

• Familiarize yourself with your major, and learn about different disciplines and ePortfolios.
• Find your course schedule, including room number and professor, in the CUNYfirst Schedule Builder.
• Bring your own device to use a computer lab. The library can help you borrow a laptop.
• Make sure to review your syllabus for grading policies, attendance, extra credit, etc.
• Get to know your Student Success Mentor (SSM) who will lead the FYS Studio Hour. You may also have the chance to work with a Student Technology Mentor (STM) who can help you with technology-related issues.
• If you need help with your ePortfolio page to troubleshoot any issues, you can visit room MB-57, or send an email to eportfolio@lagcc.cuny.edu In addition, you can receive help with FYS ePortfolio assignments in C-447.
• If you miss a class, email your professor and your SSM about the class you missed. If applicable, check Blackboard to find out what was covered that day.

Important Reasons to Attend the First Year Seminar: A Reflection by Kayla Williams (former LaGuardia student and Student Success Mentor for the First Year Seminar)

The First Year Seminar (FYS) directly impacts college students’ engagement, their academic success, and sense of belonging on campus. In my personal experience, the FYS  helped me understand the steps necessary to achieve my goals and made them more attainable because I felt supported. The class reassures new students that they belong at LaGuardia, even if they feel lost. It allows students to learn more about the college, select courses relevant to their major, utilize resources effectively while studying, collaborate with other students on projects, and reflect on the benefits of taking a particular course as part of their curriculum. First-year students can also take advantage of the FYS by finding organizations or clubs of interest, learning about university policies, attending events, and pursuing hobbies during college. Finally, the FYS serves as a bridge for students to feel more comfortable being a student and advocating for themselves and their education.