September 20, 2024
K-State First invites learning community and first-year seminar proposals
The university's first-year experience program, K-State First, is looking for faculty/staff and departments who would like to offer new learning communities or first-year seminars for the 2025-2026 school year.
The CAT — Connecting Across Topics — Communities pair two regular 100-200 level courses and a one-hour connections course. A cohort of 22 students enrolls in both classes, and then meet once a week in the one-hour connections course taught by an instructor from one of the two paired courses. The smaller, one-hour class is a place for the students to dive into active, hands-on learning opportunities, explore the connections between the two regular classes, and learn from both an engaging instructor and embedded peer mentor.
New CAT Communities can be designed around students' academic interests, majors or pre-professional career paths. CAT Community proposals can also include a study-abroad component. They are an ideal place for students to meet each other, study together, and build a community around topics and ideas they are passionate about.
Faculty/staff members who teach the one-hour connections class receive a stipend and the support of an undergraduate learning assistant for the semester. More information about the program and examples of current CAT communities are available online.
K-State First is also looking for first-year seminar class proposals, which are smaller versions of regular, 100-200 level classes with no prerequisites that enroll first-year students only. The first-year seminar program provides students with the chance to take small, exciting classes that are taught in a lively, interactive way. In a FYS, students are easily able to interact with the professor and the other students, and challenge themselves with personalized, hands-on attention. Departments offering first-year seminar classes receive compensation to help cover the costs associated with offering small classes taught by exceptional faculty. More information about the first-year seminar program can also be found online.
To submit a proposal, please contact Brianne Heidbreder at heidbr@k-state.edu with expressions of interest or questions. The deadline for receipt of proposals is 5 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 9.