B Y: G L EN D A HE N S L E Y
M AR CH 2 0 15
Special Report:
2014-15
A celebration of student excellence in the first year of college
This year’s EYE on FYE celebration will recognize students who have demonstrated meritorious behaviors,
attitudes, deeds, and actions --- those qualities and characteristics that set our WCU Cats apart! The WCU
Community Creed continues to ground our goals for students and serve as the framework for this year’s honors.
EYE on FYE
Date: April 9th, 2015
Time: 5:30 – 6:30
Place: Blue Ridge Hall Conference Room
Nominations are due by March 6, 2015---Please consider nominating deserving students!
Please email your nominations of 1-2 students per category to ghensley@email.wcu.edu (you are NOT required
to nominate for every category to participate.)
Award Categories
Leader Cat “I will live by high standards of personal integrity.”
This student has demonstrated the qualities of a leader; has revealed strengths, and embraced the
challenges. Leader Cat models the way in the classroom and out.
Citizen Cat “I will embrace my responsibilities as a member of this community.”
This student has demonstrated compassion for others in the hall community by always lending a
helping hand and making sure to include everyone. Citizen Cat honors commitment and
responsibility.
Ripple Cat “I will respect the rights and well-being of others.”
This student has demonstrated concern for the surrounding community by getting involved in
service learning activities. Ripple Cat exhibits kindness and empathy for others.
Visionary Cat “I will engage myself in the artistic, cultural, and academic life in my university.”
This student exhibits creativity and a passion for arts and culture. Visionary Cat believes in the
power of creative expression and innovative thinking.
Proud Cat “I will celebrate and express pride in Western Carolina University.”
This student possesses excellent communication skills and express in spirit, action, and speech
what it means to be a Catamount. Proud Cat bleeds purple and gold!
Tool Box
Announcing…… One Book 2015
A Common Reading Experience for WCU first-year students!
The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates
A New York Times Bestseller by: Wes Moore
A common reading experience encourages new students to engage early with faculty, staff,
and peers as they launch their college career. Early engagement fosters student success!
The 2015 selection is intended to be complimentary with the WCU commitment to the
American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) National Initiative focused
on the topic of Economic Inequality.
onebook.wcu.edu
A calendar of events and programs, and research guides and resources, will be posted on the One Book website
during March/April. The selection committee (listed on the website) welcomes your suggestions!
Perspectives
FYE Journal: Call for articles for the August 2015 annual publication
FYE loves to share a great story – your stories of success in and out of the classroom with
first-year students. Submissions may include projects and programs your department
sponsored for first-year students to

foster success and engagement

ease the way for a successful transition

help students persist in the face of challenge

honor the amazing works and experiences of our students, faculty, and staff.
Articles may be of what has been or what is to come – the idea being to provide a time-capsule of the year gone
by and a glimpse of what is to come! If you have an idea to share, please email ghensley@wcu.edu. Completed
articles are due by May 15, 2015.
First-year Advocates 2014-15
First-year students nominate faculty, staff, and graduate students for this distinctive honor each year. All
nominees will be honored during the EYE on FYE Celebration on April 9th, during which finalists and the winners
for 2014-15 will be recognized.
In the survey emailed to students they are told:
"An advocate is someone who you know has your best interest in mind – someone who cares deeply about your
success in and out of the classroom – someone you can count on to give you sound advice – someone you know
will be in your corner. We feel fortunate at WCU to have many different people that we believe fit this
description and we would like to honor some of them this year."
Family Table
Calling all Student Advocates, Mentors & Ambassadors
The overarching goal for all FYE Peer Mentoring and Ambassador Programs is to contribute to student
satisfaction, empower persistence, and support the overall success (academic, co-curricular engagement,
personal, and social) of those students served, as well as supporting the leadership goals of those who serve as
mentors. Through a variety of points of engagement, Peer Mentors and Ambassadors serve as guides, role
models, networks, friends, and leaders.
Be a Mentor for First Generation College Students
Faculty and staff members who self-identify as FGCS and with a desire to mentor new WCU FGCS may volunteer
to serve as mentors for first-generation students.
As a Mentor, you can:
 Share your understanding of the rules of the road and how to navigate their social environment
 Direct students to opportunities and resources
 Help students to acquire and refine skills needed to succeed in college
 Support students during setback and crises
 Help students create social-support networks
Participation in a mentor relationship, aims to help students:
 Discover their Strengths
 Develop their Character
 Determine their Focus
 Discern their Blind Spots
 Close the Gap between Potential and Performance
Transfer Student Ambassadors
Mission:
As WCU Transfer Ambassadors, we will honor the diversity of transfer students while drawing upon our
shared experience to help connect and unify the transfer student body in a way that promotes balance,
enrichment, and engagement.
Specifically for transfer students, the Transfer Ambassador program utilizes the same sorts of skills required of a
solid Peer Mentor program, but tailored by the perspectives and multiple paths through which transfer students
come to us. Ambassadors are vetted through an application process and complete a three day training program
coordinated by FYE, New Student Orientation, and Admissions.
The CORE
Transition Pathways: Fall 2015
We are still accepting applications to teach USI 130 for the fall 2015 semester. This course is a wonderful way
for students to interact with faculty and build relationships that will support a successful transition to college at
WCU. Our faculty are why students choose to attend WCU. Faculty involvement in this transition experience is
the key to early success! USI 130 is a first-year student transition course, designed as a one-credit introduction
to the university. You may learn more about transition courses here on the FYE website. If you are interested to
learn more, please email ghensley@wcu.edu for more information.
CEO Reminders---Calendars – Events – Opportunities
CALENDARS
Student Life Calendar: For a complete listing of what's going on for students from intramurals, to concerts and
lectures, to organizations, arts and culture, and so much more....
Events Calendar: Information on arts and culture at WCU - plays, concerts, art exhibits, films, and more...
Coulter Faculty Commons Calendar
EVENTS
The 13th Gender Conference
March 18, in the Blue Ridge Conference Room. The theme this year North Carolina: Our State, Our Time.
“North Carolina Women and their Contributions” is designed to incorporate our campus-wide interdisciplinary
theme. To that end we have invited five dynamic speakers from across the state to discuss women’s issues in
North Carolina.
Spring Career Events
Here is a list of our upcoming professional development and recruitment events this Spring. Please encourage
students to attend! To see lists of employers (as they register for fairs), event descriptions, and registration
information for our professional etiquette events, visit our web page
 RESCHEDULED! Professional Etiquette Dinner, March 3, 2015, 6-8 p.m., UC Grand Room ($20/person)
 Education Recruitment Day, March 17, 2015, 10-12 noon, UC Grand Room
 Summer Jobs and Internships Fair, March 24, 2015, 1-4 p.m., UC Grand Room
 Professional Etiquette Reception, March 24, 2015, 6-7:30 p.m., Ramsey Center Hospitality Room
($5/person)
 Spring WCU Career Fair, March 25, 2015, 1-4 p.m., UC Grand Room
OPPORTUNITIES
17th Annual Undergraduate Expo at WCU --- March 23 and 24
Please encourage your students to submit posters, presentations, performances, or creative work. The deadline
for submissions is Friday, March 6. Remember, we just need the completed form--not the project! Click here
for 2015 Expo Guidelines. Students presenting at NCUR are encouraged to present at the Undergraduate Expo
to get some practice before the conference and to share their work with the university community.
 Students can click here to register for Expo. For more information, visit honors.wcu.edu.
 If you have questions, please feel free to contact me at atallant@email.wcu.edu or 227-3276.
Service Learning Course Designation Process
The Center for Service Learning has a new, simpler, and more encompassing set of criteria and process for
courses interested in obtaining the Service Learning Course (SLC) designation. We are accepting applications now
from faculty for courses that meet the revised criteria. Once your course is designated SLC it will have the
designation for two years from the semester of approval. Here is the link if you are interested (current deadline
for your fall 2015 courses is Monday, March 2).
Finish in Four Please visit the “Finish In Four” website -- designed to introduce
students to Fostering Undergraduate Student Success and increase four-year
graduation rates and to help you familiarize yourself with the new policies.
Resource File
Blackboard --- reference and participate in the Transition Pathways Course site....
Education Briefcase – resources and information for students and for faculty……….
CFC on the Web --- help with teaching, technology, and more--- helping you do what you do better!
OrgSync --- the place for student clubs and organizations and other co-curricular opportunities.
First-Year Seminar: Liberal Studies – resource guide for faculty teaching the first-year seminar …
Transition Pathways: An instructor resource - resource guide for FYE transition course instructors …
FYE on the Web --- many resources and network links to help you along the way …..
The next regular publication will be April-May, 2015 --- please let me know if you want to share
updates about programs, events, or other opportunities for teaching and learning in FYE!
Glenda Hensley, FYE Director ghensley@wcu.ed