College is undoubtedly
a tremendous transition for most students, but for this semester’s
incoming freshmen class, that shift from high school to college
may be a little easier thanks to the availability of Freshman Learning
Communities (FLC) at Appalachian State University.
Appalachian’s learning communities program
enrolled almost 90 percent of this year’s incoming freshman
class, said Director of FLC in General Studies Joni W. Petschauer.
Learning communities at Appalachian range from the two linked courses
program (or Freshman Learning Community in General Studies) to a
residential program such as Watauga College, said Petschauer.
This year, the most popular learning community style for freshman
is the “two linked courses” model. In this “general
studies” version, incoming freshmen are given the opportunity
to have a course, such as world civilizations or expository writing,
connected to their Freshman Seminar class. These “linked”
courses then work together carrying the same group of students.
Students attend those two classes, attend cultural events, work
on a community service project and sometimes eat meals together,
said Petschauer.
“It’s kind of neat sharing two classes with the same group
of people,” said Leigh Mcinnis, a freshman from Pinehurst,
who is participating in a two linked courses community.
Daniel Peacock, a sophomore secondary education major, took part
in a FLC during fall 2001, which linked his world civilizations
and Freshman Seminar classes. “Everybody benefits most from
meeting new people and building relationships,” said Peacock.
Peacock and his roommate, Joel Nevivf, a sophomore computer information
systems major, are an example of the advantages that come from being
a part of a FLC. The two met in their FLC last year.
“We started hanging out after the semester was over, and became
friends,” said Nevivf.
This is the first year Freshman Learning Communities in General
Studies have been open to all incoming freshmen, said Petschauer.
The program began in 1998 with 84 freshmen enrolled in Freshman
Interest Groups (FIGs). Freshman Learning Communities in General
Studies now have an enrollment of 1400, said Petschauer.
In addition to FLC’s success with enrollment, the program’s
achievement has lead to two recent awards.
The Noel-Levitz Retention Excellence Award by Noel-Levitz Inc. was
awarded to Appalachian for statistics regarding FLC participation
and student retention. This last week, Appalachian was awarded the
Institutions of Excellence in the First College Year Award by the
policy center on the first year of college, funded by the Pew Charitable
Trusts and the Atlantic Philanthropies, said Petschauer.
“We’ve had a big year,” said Petschauer of the success
created in part by FLCs.
Petschauer said she hopes to see continued success now that the
program is in its first year open to all freshmen.
“We need to use everything we have in order to succeed,”
said Petschauer. “We want to reach out to all incoming freshmen
and help them create a solid first year at Appalachian.” |
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