Your First Year Success Series
The Your First Year Success Series offers co-curricular programs and events for students to develop a strong foundation for academic and personal success during their first year at UNCG.
By participating in the YFY Success Series programs, you will learn and develop:
- Academic skills such as time management, note taking, study skills, and test taking strategies.
- Personal purpose and practical skills such as career exploration and communication skills.
- A sense of belonging and Spartan Pride by exploring all of the many resources available to help you succeed inside and outside of the classroom at UNCG.
First Year Success Series Certificate
Any current first-year or transfer student who attends at least 5 programs in the YFY Success Series will be eligible for a First Year Success Certificate from YFY. This certificate will help you demonstrate all of the skills that you will gain through the success series on your resume. You will receive:
- Letter to your Dean about your accomplishment
- Your name posted to our webpage
- A printed Certificate of Success
Spring 2024
Event Schedule
January
Demos & Donuts: Career Software
Thursday, January 18 from 1 – 2 p.m.
CPD Office, Lower Level of EUC, EUC 01
This 1 hour workshop will provide students insight on the best ways to utilize helpful Career Software, like Handshake and LinkedIn to improve student networking skills. This collaboration with the Career Development Center will dive into how to begin your networking journey online.
Note Taking
Tuesday, January 23 from 2 – 3 p.m.
AAC Office, Lower Level of Jackson Library, LIB 023
This event is a 1-hour long workshop with the Academic Achievement Center that focuses on students’ intellectual wellness as they learn effective note-taking skills and strategies. In this interactive workshops students will also have the opportunity to build relationships with other students developing not only their interpersonal skills, but their academic skills as well.
February
How to College 101: Midterms Matter
Tuesday, February 6 from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.
EUC Commons
This pop-up event will have all of the information you need to be successful this midterm season. Stop by the table for some helpful tips and tricks to help you unpack your midterm grades and learn about what steps to take going forward.
Palentine’s Day: Speed Friending Edition
Tuesday, February 13 from 1 – 3 p.m.
EUC Alexander
Looking for new friends? Come join us for Palentine’s Day: Speed Friending Edition! At Palentine’s you are bound to make a connection and possibly spark a new friendship. This event will have icebreakers and games centered on friendship that will allow you to get to know other Spartans and make new lasting friendships.
Demos & Donuts: Career Fair Prep
Thursday, February 22 from TBA.
CPD Office, Lower Level of EUC, EUC 01
The Career Fair is almost here and Career and Professional Development is here to help! Join us to learn how to effectively network and navigate the career fair while enjoying a tasty treat at this 1 hour workshop. All students will walk away with the networking skills they need to succeed in order to talk to employers at the career fair and beyond.
March
Demos & Donuts: Internships over the Summer
Thursday, March 14 from 1 – 2 p.m.
CPD Office, Lower Level of EUC, EUC 01
The semester is almost over and summer is almost here. Why not make the most of your summer and professionally better yourself? Join YFY and the Career and Professional Development Center as we discuss ways students be professionally bettering themselves this summer. Topics include, how to apply for internships, attending workshops, improving resumes, and more!
Teaching students how to make the most of your summer (ex: when to apply to summer internships, how to get involved over the summer, etc.)
How to College 101: Netiquette
Thursday, March 21 from 11 – 12 noon
EUC Dogwood
Netiquette is an important skill to have in the ever-growing digital age. Join YFY and ___ as we explore how you can build healthy relationships online. Topics will include how to write an email, how to successfully navigate Canvas, and how to better engage and develop relationships with online tools, as well as with other Spartans.
Reviewing Canvas tools and internet etiquette (emailing, uploading documents, useful online learning tools – collaboration TBD?)
Study Strategies
Tuesday, March 26 from 2 – 3 p.m.
AAC Office, Lower Level of Jackson Library, LIB 023
This event is a 1-hour long workshop with the Academic Achievement Center that focuses on students’ intellectual wellness as they learn effective study strategies. In this interactive workshop, students will also have the opportunity to build relationships with other students developing not only their interpersonal skills but their academic skills as well.
April
Test Prep
Tuesday, April 16 from 2 – 3 p.m.
AAC Office, Lower Level of Jackson Library, LIB 023
Stress less about that test with the AAC’s Test Prep workshop! Come join YFY and the AAC and learn how to become a test taking pro.
Second Year Launch
Wednesday, April 24 from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.
TBA
Get ready to Launch into your Second Year at UNCG with YFY’s Second Year Launch event. Meet with campus partners and grab some goodies as we celebrate the end of your First Year here at UNCG and celebrate the beginning of your second.
Meet Our YFY Success Series Winners
Fatima Galvan-Ruiz
First-Year Student
Lloyd International Honors College, Corazon Folkorico, ALPFA
“The most valuable thing I have learned from the YFY Success Series is to explore and learn about what UNCG has to offer to students. It is important to understand, because we go to school here, all the different resources and academic support we have at our hands. It may be hard to ask for help, but UNCG wants to see us succeed, they want to help us.”
Emanuel Smith
Second-Year Student
Lloyd International Honors College, SOS, Spartan Guide
“The YFY success series helped me a lot with transitioning from virtual high school to in-person learning. It helped strengthen skills needed to be successful in college like studying, note taking, and memory.”
Zainab Adamou-Mohamed
First-Year Student
Lloyd International Honors College, Muslim Students Association Co-Creative Director
“The YFY Success Series has helped me feel so much more prepared during my first year at UNCG. I gained several tools and contacts that helped me to succeed on an academic, professional, and personal level.”
Grace Jinks
First-Year Student
YFY Success Series Winner
“The most valuable thing that I have learned from the YFY Success Series is that I am not alone and that if I need help finding the right resources I can reach out and ask for help from the resources that are set up to help first year students.”
