First Year Transition & Support

Embarking on your college career is an exciting step. Our First Year Team works closely with you before and during your first year to help you identify support, get connected and settle in at McDaniel. The office of Academic Life is the hub of this on-going support and is responsible for overseeing the First Year Experience.

The goal of McDaniel’s First Year Experience is to connect students, in a “one stop” approach, to people, places and programs. New students are supported in their development within the offering of orientation, first year and transfer seminars, the Peer Mentor program, and overall programming and support for academic and social engagement in the college community. The First Year Experience aims to build a strong foundational base for new students and support their development into a lifelong path of learning and success at McDaniel and beyond.

Learn About the McDaniel Commitment

Your First Year Experience

The First Year Experience aims to build a strong foundational base for new students and support their development into a lifelong path of learning and success at McDaniel and beyond.

New Student Orientation All new students should plan on attending New Student Orientation.

New Student Orientation (NSO) brings you onto campus a few days before returning students arrive for the fall semester. Designed to engage and excite you about McDaniel, NSO is filled with activities and events to acclimate you to your new college community. Led by a team of enthusiastic peer mentors, you will attend workshops, team-building exercises, Introduction Convocation, and a walk down Main Street to meet more of the off-campus community.

Learn more about New Student Orientation

Fall 2023 Involvement Fair

Join us for the Involvement Fair! Kick off the new academic year at McDaniel's annual Involvement Fair. Join us for an outdoor picnic, meet student leaders and learn about ways to get involved on campus. There's always something to do on the Hill with the more than 100 student organizations, including Greek life and intramural sports. If you don't see the organization you are looking for, contact the Office of Student Engagement to find out how you can start it yourself!

Contact the Office of Student Engagement

Ready to Roll First Year Programming We're With You Each Step

Your First Steps on the Hill McDaniel Local The McDaniel Commitment

For most new students, the McDaniel Local pre-orientation program is your first immersion into the college community. You'll participate in a life changing opportunity to connect with classmates, faculty and staff, visit the downtown community, and kick start your academic journey.

Learn More About McDaniel Local

An Introduction to Academics First Year Seminar Connect With a Faculty Member

An important part of the first-year experience at McDaniel is the First Year Seminar course. As part of the First Year Program at McDaniel, all first-year students take one First Year Seminar course during their first semester at McDaniel College. First Year Seminars are innovative topical and thematic courses on a range of subjects suitable for first-year students that provide an introduction to the liberal arts and an academic transition to college.

Explore the First Year Seminar Program

The Impact of First Year Programming

The Student Outreach Network

We understand that students may not always know how to ask for help but are demonstrating need through their behavior. The Student Outreach Network (SON) was officially implemented in early February 2007 to help students who might need it but don't know how to ask. Each week the SON group gathers to discuss students who are demonstrating various signs of “at-risk” behavior. As each student is discussed, members of the group provide up-to-date knowledge which includes, but is not limited to, academic performance, out-of-classroom involvement, disciplinary issues, and information gathered from faculty, coaches, family and friends. With key players at the table, we develop an appropriate plan of action to help provide comprehensive support. From week to week, staff and faculty members support the student by implementing this plan of action.

Meet our Team Lisa Lebo Associate Director of the First Year Experience

I have a soft spot in my heart for first-year students, and I could not be happier in my role as the Associate Director of the First Year Experience and Transition Programs. I am responsible for planning and executing all of the events that relate to the first-year experience, including summertime Local sessions, New Student Orientation, the First Look series in the First Year Seminar (FYS), Jan term's "My Design," and other year-round programming. I also hire and train all of the Local leaders and FYS peer mentors. I am fortunate enough that I still get to be in the classroom as an instructor, too, and I teach both an FYS course that I designed as well as a section of My Design.

Read "Lisa Lebo"

Connect With Us

Email the First Year Team

Phone: 410-871-3305

Office: 2nd Floor

Location

Roj Student Center
2 College Hill
Westminster, MD 21157