Saint Augustine’s University is committed to providing students with a unique, challenging, and supportive academic environment. The transition from high school to college can be a unique experience for some students. First-Year Experience (FYE) is a supportive program that is designed to assist students with a smooth transition with the new environment, expectations, academic rigor, and social interactions. The FYE program is innovative and aligns to coursework that promotes critical thinking, rigorous inquiry, and effective communication. Students learn how to ask pertinent questions, analyze information, and mediate new knowledge. Students receive a comprehensive core of academic support services that hone study skills, build confidence, and provide an understanding of incorporating feedback to improve content understanding contributing to their personal and academic development. With the combination of the FYE course and student support services, students are able to:
Student Services
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Make sense of complicated ideas.
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Develop the capacity for deep thought, sustained inquiry, and careful, evidence-based reflection.
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Connect their learning across course and disciplinary boundaries.
Faculty, staff, administrators, and students work together to cultivate a learning community that prepares and engage students academically, socially, and spiritually for leadership in a complex, diverse, and rapidly changing world.
WELCOME WEEK
Welcome Week
The official kick-off to the academic year with exciting social events to provide first year students with an opportunity to build a sense of community, foster institutional pride and respect, adjust to campus life, develop meaningful relationships, and discover multiple resources to support student success.
CAMPUS LIFE
Campus Life
SAU provides various avenues for students to learn about history, arts, culture, and the larger community. Greek life and social organizations are strong traditions on campus. Students can participate in internships, choir, band, athletics and interact with peers through student groups.
CIVIC ENGAGEMENT
Civic Engagement
Supports fostering a just and humane society that examines avenues of leadership and social justice through promoting university engagement with the larger community to appreciate diversity.
Program Goals
- To provide tools, tips, and strategies that will help students in the transition process from high school to university life.
- To prepare first year students for the academic rigor of college.
- To assist with the development of leadership, character, and responsibilities.
- To assist with the development of meaningful relationships with faculty and staff of Saint Augustine’s University.
Falcon Connect
The Falcon Connect enables juniors and seniors to work with first-year students in a mentoring and leadership role to create a warm and welcoming university environment. First-year students are assigned by major to Peer Mentors who support them academically and assist with social and personal development through interpersonal relationships, leadership experiences, and activities. Guided by faculty and staff, Peer Mentors play a key role in retention and teach first-year students how to utilize campus resources for optimal success in transitioning into the university environment