The glue that holds your undergraduate experience together

What are Student Learning Communities?

Student Learning Communities provide first year students in the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences a human support system.  Students create positive academic and social relationships with faculty and other new students as they make the transition to college and become aware of the many resources available on our campus and at the University. 

Each major in the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences is a learning community that intentionally links or clusters two or more courses and enrolls a common group of students with similar academic interests.

Why should I care?

Research on the first year experience indicates that students who participate in learning communities tend to be more satisfied with their undergraduate experience and more likely to stay in school.  Our SLCs help you develop faculty-to-student and student-to-student relationships inside and outside of class.  According to the research, these are two of the most important factors in becoming a successful college student. 

How will I benefit from participating?

We introduce you to university resources and services that will help you, such as:

• Orientation to your major course
  This course is geared as an introduction to you major, the College and the University. It promotes first-year survival skills by introducing you to university resources and services like the SMART Learning Commons, St. Paul Campus Career Center, University Counseling and Consulting Services – workshops on study and time management skills, and the Learning Abroad Center.  It also includes a variety of activities geared toward exploring your major and associated career paths. Throughout the course, there are many opportunities to get to know your classmates as well as key professors and staff.
  
  
• Courses in common registration option
  During your first year at the University, you'll take many of your general classes like math and biology. To ensure that you see some friendly faces in these larger lectures, we reserve specific lab and discussion sections for each major. This ensures that you will see other students in your major on a regular basis and have an easier time forming study groups. 
  
  
• Community building retreats
  Held the first or second weekend after classes start in September, the goal of this retreat (most majors have overnight retreats) is to help you get to know other incoming students as well as several key professors in your major. Through a mix of large and small groups, you'll have the chance to participate in team building activities and explore your major.
  
  
• Creating a sense of belonging
  We facilitate the process of building “peer power.” You will:
  • be provided with opportunities to create study groups and practice working in teams.
  • make faculty/advisor connections through out of classroom events, such as retreats, field trips, lunches.
  • be given the option of participating in taking courses in common (block scheduling).
  • discover the power of diversity through guest speakers, class exercises and presentations.
  • receive help navigating the University system from a peer coach.

Please contact Caitrin Mullan if you have questions.