Winthrop adds ‘First year experience’ office to help with college transition

The transition from high school to college is, no doubt, a tough one for teenagers and their parents. But a new program at Winthrop University sets out to make that move a little bit easier.

Winthrop has created an Office of the First Year Experience through the school’s University College division, amassing courses, programs and commonly-used services for incoming students.

Consolidating freshmen-related courses, activities, and support services under one agency informs parents and students that Winthrop recognizes the adjustment hurdles that freshmen encounter and offers them an office specifically designed to assist them in their transition,” provost Debra Boyd said.

“Bringing together these existing resources under one office confirms Winthrop’s commitment to our First Year students’ adjustment, success and engagement on our campus,” she added.

• Leah Kendall, the current director of the first year experience course called ACAD 101, An Introduction to the Learning Academy, will become the director of the Office of the First Year Experience.
• University College Dean Gloria Jones said Kendall brings extraordinary energy, an obvious commitment to student success, and significant experience and training related to First Year students to this job.

In just two years as ACAD director, Kendall has aligned the course with its academic roots, developed and delivered training for ACAD faculty, helped to develop and deliver training for Peer Mentors, created the custom textbook/planner, and planned numerous events for first-year students. These include First Night Winthrop, Rock The Hill, community service projects and other activities.

To establish a common academic foundation, Winthrop students take ACAD—a faculty-taught course that addresses academic skill development, advisement, scholarship retention and critical reading.

ACAD’s Peer Mentor Program joins high achieving student leaders with individual faculty by providing the student perspective, by helping students navigate academic success resources and by engaging them more fully in their Winthrop experience.

The second course in the freshmen students’ shared academic foundation is HMXP 102: The Human Experience: Who Am I? – a course that focuses on the critical reading of selections from various disciplines.

Katarina Moyon, an instructor in the Department of Political Science and director of the West Forum, directs the curriculum for this course.

Included in ACAD and HMXP is content from the Common Book, a full-length book read by the Winthrop community each year to ensure that Winthrop freshmen encounter perspectives different from their own. This year’s book is by Jeannette Walls. “The Glass Castle” reinforces Winthrop’s Global Learning Initiative and discusses homelessness, poverty, education and rising above adversity.