Each semester, FYE partners with individual faculty, staff, and students throughout campus to bring you Conversations on First-Year Student Success, a forum for faculty and staff to discuss issues that shape first-year students at IU Bloomington. This programmatic series aims to facilitate candid conversations about relevant first-year student topics through the collective knowledge and experiences of faculty and staff participants.
Whether your schedule permits you to attend one session or many, we look forward to creating an excellent dialogue that will strengthen your ability to serve first-year students effectively.
Student Voices on Transitioning to College during the Pandemic
Wednesday, September 29 │ 3–4 p.m. Join the Office of First Year Experience Programs as we gather a panel of students to share their experiences of navigating their transition to IU during the COVID-19 pandemic. This session will touch on the common obstacles and challenges students faced last year during the pandemic, as well as the needs they are currently facing as they enter into their second year.
Facilitator: Chase Wilson, Assistant Director of the Office of First Year Experience Programs
Wednesday, October 27 │ 3–4 p.m. Hear from the First Nations Educational & Cultural Center to learn how each of us can play a role in promoting and amplifying the voices of Indigenous people and social movements. This session will touch on what a land acknowledgement is, how it can be used, and how you and your office can maintain spaces inclusive of Native faculty, staff, and students.
Presenter: Dr. Nicky Belle, Director of First Nations Educational & Cultural Center
Wednesday, November 17 │ 3–4 p.m. Meet with Rabbi Sue Laikin Silberberg to learn more about the rise of anti-Semitism in recent years. Reports show that harassment and attacks on Jewish students are at an all-time high on college campuses across the country. This conversation will discuss what factors are contributing to this rise and how we can address these issues and better support our Jewish students on campus.
Facilitator: Rabbi Sue Laikin Silberberg, Executive Director, IU Hillel
Wednesday, February 9 │ 3–4 p.m. This academic year, students returned to campus after months of living through a pandemic and social justice movements. Throughout the academic year, student mental health continues to be a concern and priority for campus. Connect with staff from Counseling and Psychological Services to learn about what trends have emerged and what resources are available for students.
Wednesday, September 23 | 3–4 p.m. This can be an isolating time, especially for new students. Join representatives from the IU Health Center and Counseling and Psychological Services to learn about resources to support students’ mental and physical well-being—both as a part of their regular transition to college life and in response to the changes brought on by COVID-19. Hear about in-person and online options for students, and how you can personally encourage students to take care of themselves.
Presenters: Marcey Tidwell, Clinic Nurse, IU Health Center, Luciana Guardini, Social Worker and Outreach Coordinator, Counseling and Psychological Services
Wednesday, October 21 | 3–4 p.m. Our social landscape is full of conflict. Social media platforms bring national issues into the IU community in widespread and powerful ways. As the presidential election nears, we also anticipate increased political tension. Incidents of bias and hate have been on the rise along with protests against racism and police brutality. Come learn more about how this affects our students and what resources are available to support them and other members of the university community.
Presenters: Cedric Harris, Director of Bias Response, Dean of Students, and guest
Wednesday, November 18 | 3–4 p.m. Studying abroad can offer many advantages to those students traveling abroad as well as to students at overseas institutions. This presentation will cover the importance of building global intercultural competencies and their role in creating transformative educational experiences.
Presenters: Gracie Heeb, Jose Mendez, and Allie Prieboy
Wednesday, December 9 | 3–4 p.m. University students face a variety of challenges that can be either readily apparent or invisible to the staff and faculty with whom they interact. Explore perspectives on social justice to help you better understand the experiences of students facing oppression-related challenges. Learn where to point students seeking communities and activities that prioritize social justice—and help students better navigate university life and feel at home at IU.
Presenter: Michelle Moyd, Associate Professor of History, Associate Director, Center for Research on Race and Ethnicity in Society (CRRES)
Starting college can feel like a big leap from high school. From orientation to the first week, students experience a wide range of emotions—from joy to fear, and everything in between. What’s more, first-year students come from and have a diverse set of experiences. Watch a short video from the Office of First Year Experience Programs, campus culture centers, and Union Board and hear from students to learn about the diverse range of first-year experiences at IU. You’ll learn how you can further support students as we prepare for the upcoming academic year.
Presenters: Office of First Year Experience Programs and IU students
IU strives to create an environment that supports trust, respect, honesty, civility, free inquiry, creativity, and an open exchange of ideas. To help preserve that environment, the Office of Student Conduct maintains community accountability and addresses the unique concerns of individual students. Attend this session to learn how the conduct system helps students move forward as responsible members of the campus community and how the office helps students get back on track with their education.
Join Enrollment Management staff as we review the current status of our incoming cohort of Hoosiers. We will update campus colleagues on the recruitment process to date, what we know about classes, modalities, orientation, and other onboarding plans as we prepare incoming students for their own Hoosier Experience.
Presenters: Office of Admissions, Office of the Registrar, Office of First Year Experience Programs
