Supporting the ‘Whole Student’ Is Focus of First-Year Engineering Experience Conference
The First-Year Engineering Program and the College of Engineering hosted the ASEE’s 2024 First-Year Engineering Experience (FYEE) Conference, a three-day event for members of academia and industry, as well as parents and students, that focused on supporting the “whole student.”
The theme of the conference, now in its 15th year, was “The ‘Whole Student’: Helping First-Year Engineering Students Succeed Across Multiple Dimensions.” Richard Whalen, director and teaching professor of the First-Year Engineering Program, emphasized the importance of considering the multiple dimensions of not only what is taught, but also a student’s intellectual, social, and emotional needs to foster success. The conference provided networking and collaborative opportunities, with sessions covering a wide range of topics, including the entrepreneurial mindset, methods to enhance student learning, rethinking first-year engineering, improving student engagement, belonging and self-efficacy strategies, and supporting neurodivergent students.