First-Year Experience

Conversations with Professors
August 16, 3:30-4:45

Brainstorming Sessions

  • Monday, August 10, 11 a.m.-noon, Nursing/Chemistry 1007
  • Tuesday, August 11, 4-5 p.m., College of Information Technology 3302
  • Thursday, August 13, 2-3 p.m., College of Information Technology 3302

Student Assistants as well as faculty are invited to attend.  No RSVP needed. 

Overview of CwP Process and Objectives
CwP Faculty-CA Pairings, with Room Locations and CA Email Addresses, Alphabetically by Faculty Last Name
CwP Faculty-CA Pairings, with Room Locations and Faculty Email Addresses, Alphabetically by CA Last Name

Resources

"Advice to the Class of 2013" brochure mailed to students in July (.pdf)
FYE mailed a copy of this to students' permanent address in July and asked them to bring the brochure with them to Conversations with Professors in case faculty made reference to it. 

Sample outline for Conversations with Faculty Session (.doc)
by Jessica Orvis, Chemistry Department

Differences between High School and College (off site; for handout format, click here)
Three pages of tables compare "Following the Rules in High School" to "Choosing Responsibly in College." "High School Teachers" are compared to "College Professors." "Tests in High School" vs. "Tests in College," and "Grades in High School" vs. "Grades in College" are also a part of this table.  Aspects of the "Advice to the Class of 2013" brochure were adapted from this site and are used with permission.

Conversations with Professors quiz (.doc.)
The James Madison Conversations with Professors quiz can be given in small groups and used to initiate student participation. There are four questions that ask things like "1. Do you think it’s important that your faculty members know who you are? If yes, what actions will you take to get to know them?"

Habits of Successful Students (off site; for handout click here)
This link has a table of eight choices of successful students make in contrast to the choices struggling students make. The successful student choices include accepting personal responsibility, discovering a motivating purpose, taking purposeful actions, demonstrating interdependence, gaining self awareness, becoming life-long learners, developing emotional intelligence, and believing in themselves.

Observations on the College Experience
This document on Observations on the College Experience was developed by James Madison University, which has a very successful Conversations with Professors program upon which ours is modeled. The observations are great talking points with students.

Developing Good Relationships with Faculty (a.k.a. "Twelve Ways Not to Annoy Your Professors") (.pdf)
From knowing your professor's name to not letting the door slam behind you, this handout covers some of Chris Caplinger's favorite pieces of advice for new students.  Feel free to use this in its entirety or as a spring board for your on ideas on how students can develop good relationships with faculty--and avoid annoying them! 

Sample syllabi in common first-year courses (see Future Students page)

Fall 2009 Sample Semester-at-a-Glance, with Major Test and Paper Dates (.doc; .pdf)

Campus Resource Contact Information (.doc; .pdf)

"Myths about the Scholarly Side of University Life" by Dr. Stephanie Kenney and her assistant Jennifer Odom (.doc)

Top Ten Things Professors Appreciate in Research Assignments by Lisa Smith (.doc)

Conversations Bookmark by Todd Deal (.doc)

[Return to Conversations with Professors Overview]