Make a ‘Connection’ With Our First-Years

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Facilitator and First-Year Aggie Connection students, striking fun poses around fun scultpture of little people in fun poses.
The Aggie Drive, Strive and Thrive Connection, fall 2019, at Central Park during the Davis Farmers Market. Pictured, from left: Jim Hewlett, facilitator, an analyst in Supply Chain Management; and students Sofia Elena Maysenhalder, Amanpreet Kaur, Alex Joseph Neupauer and Nathan An. (Rosalyn Diaz/UC Davis)

First-Year Aggie Connections is still in need of new “connection” facilitators — staff, faculty and graduate students — for winter quarter, and has extended the deadline until Monday (Nov. 25) for people to express their interest.

WHY BE A FACILITATOR?

Among the reasons cited listed on the First-Year Aggie Connections website:

  • Share a personal passion
  • Impact a student’s life
  • Provide mentorship to diverse student populations

The way to do that is by proposing a potential connection, based on shared identity or purpose, or academic or co-curricular interest. Connections bring new students together, outside of the classroom, and give them access to a campus veteran (the facilitator) who can help them transition to life at UC Davis.

Each connection comprises about 25 first-years: freshman and transfer students, including international students. Facilitators commit to a minimum of six connection meet-ups during the quarter.

Organizers encourage creativity in proposed themes, and remind that connections should appeal to a diverse student body. Some connections are associated with for-credit seminars, and others are affiliated with on-campus groups.

Connections meet regularly during the quarter to discuss topics related to transitioning to life at UC Davis. Facilitators have the option of asking for peer mentors who are assigned to connections to provide support to the participating students, and assist in program and activity planning.

Interested staff members, before submitting proposals, must have supervisor approval to devote time to a connection.

More information

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Media Resources

Dateline Staff, 530-752-6556, dateline@ucdavis.edu

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