The First-Year Seminar Program is an orientation class that is designed to help the freshmen students at Robert Morris University. The programs helps them reach their educational goals and prepares them for their upcoming years in college while helping become more connected with the campus.

FYSP started by testing out a class with a group of transfer students to help them become more acquainted with the campus. After those students participated in the class they all became more involved on campus.

“I thought FYSP did a lot of good for me this semester,” said Madie Davis, a freshmen at RMU, “It helped me meet a bunch of people and it also helped me gain a lot of confidence in myself with tasks that I was never able to do in high school.”

The classes are held on Mondays and Wednesdays or Tuesdays and Thursdays. Each week the FYSP mentors, who are also RMU students, will help the students prepare for a successful year. Each class deals with different aspects that may be important to students through out their college career. The students learn about academic integrity, the promotion of educational values, and the development of skills and attitudes necessary for a great college experience.

“Freshmen wouldn’t have a connection if they didn’t take FYSP,” said Cassandra Oden, director of Center for Student Success, “the students meet people on campus they wouldn’t typically meet if they did not take this class.”

Through out the 15-session class, the students meet public safety, the president, and meet with their counselor and participate in class as a whole.

“FYSP helped me learn the ins and outs of the campus,” said Tia Sciulli, sophomore student at RMU, “I learned a lot of informational things in that class that helped me get through freshmen and half of sophomore year.”

The students are graded on attendance, campus clarity, meeting with their advisor, setting up a counselor appointment and the career development exercises. The mentors make sure their students are meeting with their advisors and setting up an account on RMU colonial trak,RMU Career Center’s online registration, job posting and event management system to help them get the full benefit of the class.