| Freshman Convocation Aug. 23, 2026. Photo courtesy of mcneese_fye |
| By Shilyn Carheel The Poke Press McNeese State University’s First Year Experience Program (FYE) has returned for its second year, offering campus events, mentoring and other resources for incoming freshmen including a printed guide filled with important information. According to FYE Program Director Jacqueline Clark, FYE is a grant-funded program designed to help new students navigate the anxieties, questions and pressures they may experience as they adjust to college life. “We are here to help bridge that gap because it’s a lot of information,” Clark said. “In the past, they would kind of just figure it out on their own, and a lot of students were confused and lost. And so, we’re there to kind of help bridge that gap, answer the questions, be a guide, to make sure that they feel more involved and have a sense of belonging in their freshman year.” FYE offers SPUR Mentoring which pairs first-year students with trained peer mentors for academic support, personal development and campus involvement opportunities. First-year students who earn a 3.5 GPA after their first semester become eligible to join Alpha Lambda Delta, a first-year honor society. Students have access to the FYE Office and Lounge on the first floor of the library to study and meet with mentors to ask questions. FYE mentor Gabriella Rivera, a transfer student in her second year at McNeese, said the program helped her connect with the campus community. “This program has honestly given me the ability to find a sense of family,” Rivera said. “I am a transfer student, so this is only my second year here at McNeese, but I’ve never felt more at home. Being able to mentor these students and give them an outlet and a place to go to is something that I wish I personally had. I try every day to be the person I wish I had my freshman year.” FYE hosts events throughout the semester including Campfire & Line Dancing, a Career Expo, a Cowboy Closet session where students can receive free, gently used professional clothing, ice cream socials, scavenger hunts and many others. Recent events include the Freshman Burger Fest and Tacos & Tutoring Tuesday which FYE co-hosted with Chi Alpha and the Center for Learning and Student Success, respectively. At the Career Expo, students and alumni can connect with employers, explore career opportunities, and receive free professional headshots. Freshman Sienna Graham said the program helped her meet other students. “FYE has helped me make a lot of new friends and experience a lot of new experiences that I wouldn’t have done without it. I am glad to have bonds with all of my new friends,” Graham said. “We just encourage you to really read it, and to ask questions, and to get involved. Don’t stay in your dorm and think that no one’s here for you. You have to get out. You have to maybe be a little uncomfortable to get comfortable,” Clark said. |
