Students said:

“SUCH a great and effective idea. Thank you so much for the seminar.”

“I originally had doubts about signing up for another class, but am so glad I did. I learned a lot about college in general and how to succeed. I also got to know a handful of other honors students fairly well throughout the semester.”

“Because of FYES I have a better grasp of what exactly I want to accomplish at Virginia Tech.”

96% of Fall ’08 participants would recommend FYES to a friend - 76% enthusiastically.

University Honors is again offering a First Year Excellence Seminar to help incoming freshman expand their horizons as they adjust to University life. The class is not required and is limited to those students who wish to accomplish extraordinary things with their time at Virginia Tech.

What: Each section will meet once a week, for one hour, pass-fail. The class will be seminar-style; i.e. oriented around discussion and dialogue. The principal learning goals of the seminar are: 1) Understanding Ourselves; taking a look at majors, minors, learning styles, professional and personal goals, 2) Understanding the University; an active, guided tour of the many resources available to you, 3) Understanding Others; developing networks of relationships with faculty, staff, and peers. All of these themes will be developed with the goal of an excellent undergraduate experience in mind. The direction and style of each class will evolve from the interests of the students and faculty.

Who: Each section will have a distinguished faculty member as the primary instructor. A upper-class Honors student will serve as a peer Student Teaching Assistant. Approximately 10 students will be enrolled in each section. We’ve recruited our best faculty and students to help out with this project and they have responded enthusiastically.

Where: Location TBA.

When: We will offer up to 10 sections at a variety of times. Students should be able to find a time to fit their schedule.

Why: Learning and growing successfully in a new environment requires adequate support. This experience will connect Honors students with the knowledge and the people to get off to a great start.

How: Send an email to Mr. Michael Blackwell, miblackw@vt.edu, or call at 540-231-6804.