First-Year Experience (FYE) Program
Housed within the Center for Academic & Career Services, the First-Year Experience (FYE) Program welcomes first-year students into the MSMC community and fosters success as they navigate the transition from high school to college. In the service of establishing a foundation for academic success in the first semester, the FYE Program engages students in:
- our Dominican heritage
- service and service learning
- principles of belonging and understanding others
- holistic wellbeing and safety; and
- personal and career development
All of this prepares first-year students to become active members in the Mount’s community of learners.
Every incoming student will be enrolled in a 1-credit graded course (FYE 1010) titled “Knight Foundations: Navigating the First-Year” taught by a Student Affairs staff member. The purpose of Knight Foundations is to guide students in developing strategies for academic success and promoting their sense of belonging and ownership within their MSMC journey. This course is paired with a 3-credit core or major-related course to form a learning community (LC), which is the hallmark of the FYE Program. Students entering the traditional FYE program in the fall semester will be required to participate in FYE during their first semester of matriculation. Students entering in the spring semester will be required to enroll in FYE in the subsequent fall semester and should consult with their academic coach and the FYE Director to enroll. Exceptions may be made at the discretion of the Vice President of Academic Affairs.