Manchester Magazine Fall 2015 | Page 20

MU | F e a t u r e s FYS replaced the former College Writing course, adding more emphasis on critical thinking to complement writing. Even so, the writing assessments required in the original course remain in the new format. Before the current FYS format started, all first-year students took the same course and used the same book. Now, however, they have more options and can study a subject more in tune with their interests. For the faculty and staff members who teach FYS courses, the ability to personalize a course to accommodate a wide range of interests “is what makes people want to teach,” says Erickson-Pesetski. “It makes it more fun for me to teach, too,” she adds. Students appreciate the individualized attention. “FYS showed me that professors at Manchester are really approachable and they care about you as a student and as a person,” says Aator. “They know this is your first college class, so they take their time to help you get into the groove of things if they know you’re struggling. I still go back and talk to Heather (Schilling) if I have any questions or if I’m unsure about something,” she added. Even after FYS ends, the benefits continue. “It’s really nice to know that there’s a group of people you can go back to if you have an issue or if you’re lonely,” says Aator. For Laing, the learning continued after the course officially ended. “Dr. Ings asked about going to the Research Symposium for the FYS division,” she said. “I ended up going and I won the FYS category, which was a huge confidence booster. That was the first big presentation I did. It cured me of being super-nervous for presentations after that.” By Emily Barrand ’16 Prelude to Welcome Week gets first-year group off to a solid start B onnie O’Connell knows how important a good start is for new college students. That’s why she and several colleagues launched Quick Start, a fourday prelude to first-year Welcome Week at Manchester. “We recognize that a transition from high school to university life can be challenging and little overwhelmin