First Year Experience

MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR FIRST SEMESTER AT BINGHAMTON WITH ONE OR MORE OF THESE OPPORTUNITIES BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE OFFICE FOR STUDENT TRANSITION AND SUCCESS.

Join the Emerging Leaders Program (ELP)

The ELP is a fall-semester program designed specifically for new students  to interact with peers, trained student mentors and a faculty/staff team to explore leadership in a small-group environment through a specific interest-based knowledge community. Through weekly meetings, leadership workshops, special events and a student-developed and led service-learning project, participants earn a University-sponsored leadership microcredential upon completion of the program in December.

Through the ELP you will:

  • GET CONNECTED to University and local community members
  • BUILD a support network
  • EXPLORE, develop and practice leadership skills
  • IMPACT the local community during your first semester
  • EARN a leadership certificate
  • LEARN how to maximize your college experience

The deadline to apply online is 11:59 p.m. Sunday, July 30. You'll need your Binghamton user ID (rlau) and password to access the application.

For more information, visit the ELP website.

Enroll in a First-Year Experience Course (UNIV 101/103)

UNIV 101/103 are two-credit seminar courses for first-semester first-year students (max enrollment of 20 students per section) and are team-taught by a faculty member and a professional staff member. The course includes two primary components with one course credit focused on an interesting academic topic and the second devoted to new-student transition topics.

This format allows students to explore and discuss specific academic and transition topics, use campus resources, develop critical thinking and writing skills and improve time management. 
Check out some of the innovative course topics, and register during Orientation!

Get ahead with Success Coaching

Professional and peer success coaches support student learning through personalized one-on-one coaching appointments. Coaches focus empowering questions on a student's learning, who they are and how they have experienced their academic journey. Success coaches are trained to collaboratively work alongside a student to create an actionable success plan regarding a variety of topics like:
  • time and task management
  • study strategies
  • organization
  • productivity
  • motivation and others
Students are encouraged to sign up for a coaching appointment early in the semester.

Make an appointment on the success coach website.