Education First Year Seminars

First-Year Seminars offer a dynamic introduction to university life, inviting new students to explore academic topics, innovative ideas, and cutting-edge research alongside their peers in small, discussion-based settings. These seminars, no matter the subject, are designed to spark intellectual curiosity, foster lively debates, and encourage meaningful interactions with instructors and advisors outside the classroom. Each course, limited to just nineteen students, creates a close-knit, supportive environment where participants can form lasting connections and collaborate on their academic journey.

The College of Education proudly presents the following First-Year Seminars for Fall 2025. 

Explore these offerings below and select the seminar that sparks your passion!

 

Disability in Education

Allie Wolf

This course will explore disability in education while supporting students in their transition to college. Taught by a Disabled instructor, the course will emphasize disability as an identity, not a problem to be fixed. As a class, we will investigate accessibility in education and teaching Disabled students.

Course Time: Tuesday 1:00p.m.-1:50p.m.

Fostering Friendships

Bryn Burnham

This seminar explores the importance of building strong, healthy friendships during the transition to college and throughout the undergraduate experience. Students will examine the psychological research on friendship, attachment styles, and the concept of belonging. The course also addresses common challenges such as loneliness, homesickness, and social anxiety, offering strategies to navigate and overcome them. 

Course Time: Tuesday 1:00p.m.-1:50p.m. or Monday 4:00p.m.-4:50p.m.
 

Promoting Teacher and Student Well-Being

Eliza Grose

This course is designed to promote well-being for first-year students interested in working in education. The goal is to provide students with coping skills to combat burnout and promote wellness that can also be incorporated into future teaching practices. We will be following the Well-Being Promotion Program to improve mental health and coping skills for young adults.

Course Time: Monday 10:10a.m. - 11:00a.m.

Building a Meaningful Undergraduate Experience

Katie Roslonek

This first-year seminar supports students in navigating the transition to college through the lens of mindfulness. Students will engage in weekly reflective practices, build community, and explore their personal, academic, and educational goals. Topics include stress management, time management, values clarification, and identifying campus resources. The course promotes emotional well-being, self-awareness, and intentional goal setting for long-term success. 

Course Time: Tuesday 11:30a.m.-12:20p.m.
 

Brains, Balance, and Belonging: Exploring the Mind, Managing the Moment, and Finding Your Place

Michelle Wynn

This course offers a neuroscience-informed approach to college success tailored for education majors. Explore how your brain learns, what it means to feel a sense of belonging, and how your early experiences shape your future in college and beyond. Together, we’ll also examine how discomfort can be a powerful part of growth — both in learning and in life.

Course Time: Wednesday 12:20p.m. -1:10p.m.  or Wednesday 1:25p.m. - 2:15p.m.
 

The Reflective Educator: Thriving Through Transition

Ryan Beck

The transition from high school to college comes with many challenges: newfound independence, self-directed learning, and an abundance of new experiences to explore. This first-year seminar will enable students to thrive through their transition, integrating mindfulness, self-reflection, and intentional exploration into their first semester. Students will engage in weekly mindfulness exercises that build a healthy routine that serves to sustain their well-being, enhance their self-awareness, and improve their time-management skills. Through the development of a collaborative, supportive, and constructive learning environment, students will be invited to form strong peer relationships, in addition to leveraging their instructor and campus partners as resources throughout their time in the course and beyond. 

Course Time: Wednesday 2:30 p.m. - 3:20 p.m.

Student Success as a Whole Person

Jungsun Hyun

The class will guide the first-year students to explore professionalism and lifelong career building as the class gets to know various on-campus and off-campus resources to support the process. 
 

Course Time: Thursday 4:00p.m.-4:50p.m.