This document discusses building community among first-year students. It outlines challenges students may face in their first six weeks, ways to engage them such as events and organizations, and building companionship through peer ministry and faith-based programs. The goal is for students to experience belonging, avoid transferring, and contribute to the community while leaders also develop skills and witness growth.
2. Learning Objectives
• First to Love in the First Six Weeks
• Servant Leadership Approach
• Knock, Open the Door and Build
Community with First Year Students
4. What challenges or obstacles
did you face in the first six weeks?
• Homesickness
• Roommate problems
• Loneliness
• Inability to relate to and meet new people
• Anxiety or Insecurity
• Spiritual emptiness
• Doubt of choosing the wrong school
• Class schedule or difficulty
• Fear of the future
• Inability to get involved
• Too involved
5. What engaged you
during the first six weeks?
• Welcome Week Events
• Resident Assistants and Floor Meetings
• Organization Fairs
• Mass and Worship Services
• Convocation
• Interaction with Upperclassmen
6. Companions
Building community in leadership through faith and service
• Who?
– Upperclassmen,
Mentors, Advocates,
Lifelines, Liaisons
and Friends
• What?
– Peer Ministry
– Faith Based Programs
8. Why?
• For Students:
– Experience of belonging
– Avoid transferring out
– Contribute to the
community
• For Student Leaders:
– Leadership development
– Strive for magis
– Witness growth and
discovery
9. First to Love in the First Six Weeks
• Different types of
programs
• Collaboration
• Recruit from
all angles
• Calendar early
10.
11.
12. Jesuit Ideals
• The First Companions:
Ignatius, Xavier and Faber
• Men and Women for Others
13.
14.
15. Summary
• First to Love in the First Six Weeks
• Servant Leadership Approach
• Open the door, relate to first year students
and build community
17. 1. Jesuit Priest
2. Woman Who Thinks
She Is Pregnant
3. Captain of the Ship
4. Elementary School
Teacher
5. Lifeguard
6. 87 Year Old Man
7. Marine Biologist
8. CEO of a Bank
9. IRS Agent
Kids at Home
11. Lawyer
12. Wal-Mart Greeter
13. Movie Star
14. Governor
15. Cancer
Researcher
18. Contact us for more information
or with your questions:
Justin Hoch: jhoch@luc.edu
Francis Kelly: fkelly@luc.edu
Notas del editor
Introductions of us and our position….please hold questions until the end. We will have time for discussion
We seek to maintain a first to love with first year students. Strive to be that resource on the floor. There are many ploys to acclimate students yet many still fall through the cracks
We have a two pronged approach serving the student with our ears and pointing them in a direction. How do we engage students further. We do not have a perfect solution engaging first years and creating a greater community but we can work together here to today for collaboration across faith based
Pose question and explain what this presentation will explore
Pose question and hear from others what they think—try to hear from all universities
Then reveal what we have experienced, hopefully they will match
Again ask audience about their thoughts and experiences
Interaction with upperclassmen transitions into our role as a Companion
Overview of Companions
Who?—Can be many things for students, Liaisons for Campus Ministry
What?—show what makes us unique: one of a kind peer ministry program in the residence halls, focused on creating faith based programs (will hit on the type of programs later), ask big questions about life
Explain each pillar, maybe using a personal story
Why we do what we do…these are our goals as well as our achievements. Personal stories could be good here too…
Different types of programs: talk about some that we created (at least two pillars incorporated), talk about the process of creating a program, tag along events—transition and emphasize collaboration with RA’s and other departments
Recruitment: seems to be our number one problem…talk about current strategies and struggles
Calendar early is our new strategy to counter the recruitment problems. If things are planned early and programs are simple, we will have a better chance of recruiting.
Transition to the first six weeks calendar
Go through the calendars explaining why each event is engaging students and promoting community and faith
Connect people to existing resources, more qualitative
Just as Ignatius had his Companions, we aim to be there for first year students.
As volunteers, we are being men and women for others always looking to be magis. In return, servant leadership intends to make other students be men and women for others.
Our goal is to have the mentality of St. Ignatius’ quote, so that our residents will see that and hope to emulate it as well. Residents do not stay residents; however, they do often stay friends or mentees. We want to push them outside of their rooms so that they go forth and set the world on fire. To be Companions, walk with them…ultimate goal of Companions
Opening the door, getting students out of their rooms is the way to building community and relating to first year resie
Maybe at the beginning of the presentation…learning objectives…more explicit