Mission of the Office of First Year Experience

Norfolk State University (NSU) recognizes that the first year of college serves as a foundation for undergraduate education and is central to the achievement of the University’s mission to provide a “high-quality education for an ethnically and culturally diverse student population, equipping students with the capability to become productive citizens, who continuously contribute to a global and rapidly changing society.”   The NSU Office of First Year Experience is committed to its mission to support the integration of academic, co-curricular, and extra-curricular programs and services that support new students’ transition to college and provides the foundation for achieving academic and personal success throughout the undergraduate experience.

FYE Goals

1. Establish effective partnerships among academic affairs, student affairs, and other administrative units to ensure a comprehensive, integrated, and coordinated first year experience for new and transfer students.

2. Provide ongoing faculty and staff development activities to address the academic support needs of students during the first year and throughout the undergraduate experience.

 3. Support the provision of curricular and co-curricular learning experiences that engage students in order to develop knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviors consistent with what “educated persons” should know upon completion of the undergraduate experience.

 4. Provide ongoing assessment of student needs and academic support services to address identified needs during the first year and throughout the undergraduate experience.

 5. Assist students in understanding the purpose of higher education and identifying their motivation and goals with regard to higher education.