Guilford College

The first year of college is full of transitions. Guilford’s First Year Experience fosters the academic, social and personal transitions necessary for successful participation in the total life of the College community. The First Year Experience begins with the moment you choose Guilford, continues into Orientation and extends through your first year until you declare a major.

The First Year Experience provides models, resources, information, mentoring, programming, advising, courses and experiences to assist new students in their transition to college culture and to help them become active participants in the learning community. Some of the components include:

• first-year advising
• first-year resource center
• peer mentoring
• course offerings and a schedule based on first-year student need and preference
• accurate and early Foreign Language, Quantitative Skills and English placement
• social programming
• assistance in the declaration of the major
• first-year advisory board and faculty advisor

The Curriculum

The first college semester is an academically challenging experience. Guilford’s curriculum is demanding, flexible and designed to help you get the most from your learning. For entering fall-semester college students, a central component of the first semester is the First Year Experience (FYE) Course. The FYE is a Foundations course designed to engage entering students in significant interactive inquiry. With a focus on speaking, listening and experiential learning, the course explores an interdisciplinary content area and integrates the academic and social transition to college life.

View the 2012-13 FYE course descriptions.

While the instructor selects the individual topic area, each course also incorporates the following common elements:

• Guilford College’s five principles:
  • Innovative, student-centered learning
  • Challenge to engage in creative and critical thinking
  • Cultural and global perspectives
  • Values and the ethical dimension of knowledge
  • Focus on practical application: vocation and service to the larger community
• Introduction of the following skills:
  • Choice of career and major
  • Computing
  • Learning Strategies and Time Management
  • Library use
• Principled Problem Solving
• Study of the five Quaker Testimonies (direct and immediate access to god-truth by the individual, peace, simplicity, equality and integrity)
• The Honor Code and Academic Honesty

The instructor of each course serves as the student’s academic advisor.

Academic Advising

Your FYE course instructor will also be your academic advisor. The associate academic dean will appoint an advisor for students not enrolled in FYE. Your advisor will meet with you during orientation to finalize your first-semester schedule and will remain available to you throughout the semester. This advisor goes beyond helping you select your courses; he/she is available if you have questions about future career goals, graduate school, service learning opportunities, etc. Your advisor can lend a good listening ear if you need someone to talk with about the transition to college. When you declare a major, your first year academic advisor will assist you in finding an appropriate faculty in that department to become your new advisor.

FYE Lab

To assist you in the transition to Guilford and to help you form a sense of community early on, all first year students entering in the fall semester take a lab section associated with their FYE course. You share in learning about:

• Anti-racism and diversity
• Campus resources
• General problem solving
• Skills of college success
• Your own learning strategies

If you have any questions, please contact the First Year Center at (336)-316-2465

First-Year Center

Located on the second floor of Founders Hall 202, the First Year Center (FYC) is a place for new students to get information, find out about campus resources and meet with peer mentors. Workshops, programs and information sessions specifically for new students take place in the First Year Center. The office of Clay Harshaw, director of the First Year Experience, is also located in the FYC. Center hours are 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday – Thursday; 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., Friday.

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