Western Michigan University Parent and Family Guide
WMU First-Year Experience Programs
Three unique programs, one common goal: Student Success! New Student Orientation, Fall Welcome, and First-Year Seminar make up the WMU FYE Programs.
First-Year Experience’s purpose is to support students as they develop new social networks, adjust to the academic rigor of college, and learn about the opportunities and resources at WMU. Participation in each of the three programs is important because they build upon each other, helping students get involved and adjusted. Students engaged in campus life are statistically more likely to graduate from college in comparison to students who may not be involved.
The FYE staff works closely with a number of programs and departments that serve first-year students. Participation in each of the three programs is a requirement for many of our first-year students, including Exploratory Advising, Alpha students, Seita Scholars, Diversity and Multiculturalism Scholarship students, TRiO students, and Kalamazoo Promise students.
- New Student Orientation: The first official exposure to the University as a WMU student. During orientation, students and parents, guardians or adult mentors receive helpful curricular and co-curricular information. Students learn about academic advising, register for the first semester of classes, meet other students, and participate in fun and social activities. Parents, guardians, or adult mentors have opportunities to informally and formally meet with faculty and staff from across the University.
- Fall Welcome: A four-day transition program designed to strengthen the bond between first-year students and our WMU community. Students move into the residence halls before the semester officially starts, become familiar with the campus and local community, and attend numerous programs and activities to prepare for the start of the fall semester.
- First-Year Experience 2100 (FYE): The perfect way to connect with the University, continue to build lasting relationships, and strategize for future success at WMU and beyond. FYE 2100 is a semester-long two-credit hour class designed specifically with first-year students in mind.
We want your student to experience success at WMU, and FYE is as easy as one, two, three.
information about each of the programs, FYE or contact the Office at (269) 387-2167.
