Alfred State professionals present on first-year student program at national conference

Professionals in academic student success and student affairs at Alfred State College (ASC) recently presented at the 37th Annual First Year Experience (FYE) Conference in San Antonio, Texas.

The delegation from ASC included Cindy Thorp, academic success coach; Natasha Daniels, academic navigator; Troy Morehouse, director of Student Engagement; and Mallory Morehouse, associate director of Orientation and Family Programs.

Their workshop, “A Holistic and Seamless Transitional First-Year Program,” showcased the first-year program at ASC, which utilizes important tools for self-reflection and self-assessment to call on students to think critically and strategize their goals in college from the start. Through leadership development, academic empowerment, and mentorship, the Student Success Center and Office of Student Engagement provide students with the proper foundation for their first year of college.

Daniels said she attended the conference to not only present, but to also learn about how other colleges support first-year students.

“First-year programs are the first impression students have of what their remaining time at ASC will be like,” she said. “If they feel connected to the college in meaningful ways, then that’s a good impression, which is a major goal of the first-year program.”