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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
NEWS
JUNE 29 - JULY 5, 2005
FSI PROGRAM
Freshmen sample college lifestyle
BY ASHLEY MICHAELS amichaels@kansan.com
KANSAN STAFF WRITER
Kerri Henderson/KANSAN
FSI student Ali Womack, Leawood freshman, gets help studying from her RA, Carlos Martinez, San Juan, Puerto Rico, sophomore. Students live in Templin Hall during their session.
Leaving home for the first time can be stressful for students. Stress can be caused by homesickness, roommates and, for some, doing your own laundry for the first time.
Fortunately for these students, the Freshman Summer Institute at the University of Kansas has extended a helping hand.
"At first I was really nervous about getting roommates, but now I'm just excited," said Luke McKee, Topeka freshman. "I have made some great friends at FSI that I will keep into the fall semester."
The Freshman Summer Institute is designed to aid undergraduate students in their transition to the University. Students in the FSI program go through an orientation process, earn five credit hours toward their undergraduate degree, receive career counseling and have the opportunity to meet other KU students.
two sessions, one in June and the other in July. The June session, which began June 5, goes through July 1 and is well under way preparing 28 high school seniors for their freshman year of college.
The FSI program consists of
"FSI alleviates and addresses students' fear of college," said Diann Burright, FSI coordinator and assistant director of the Freshman-Sophomore Advising Center. "Students are too embarrassed to say they are afraid to go to college; FSI helps with that."
The students enroll in PRE 101, for two credit hours, which is a course designed to introduce students to the University. The course covers topics such as how to use the library and career services. For the remaining three credit hours, students choose among political science, English, African American studies and sociology.
graduate coordinator.
"Enrollment is about the same from previous years," said Burright. "People are busy and more active and it becomes a challenge to schedule things in the summer, but the interest is there."
Activities in the FSI program are not limited to academics and learning about the University. Each student has to complete eight hours of community service by June 25. The services are set up by Zach Kendra, the FSI
The first week the students were at the University they attended Tall Oaks, in Linwood, Kan., a low ropes course designed for team building and responsibility.
"Through the experience we got a lot closer as friends," McKee said. "It really helped with communication skills."
On June 21 there was a student/faculty dinner set up for the students to connect with professors on a more personal level.
"It is a chance for students to get to know them as people and not just a person who stands up in front of the class and teaches you things," Burright said.
As the first session winds down and students wrap up their summer experience, the hope is that they will come
back feeling like sophomores instead of freshmen, Burright said.
McKee said, "I know the campus pretty well now and I have the study skills down for when I have four or five classes.
so I have definitely learned time management. College gives you a lot more free time and control over how you spend your time. That makes it more fun."
— Edited by Erin M. Droste