On October 11, Bryce Bunting spoke at the Inspiring Teaching Workshop, which coincided with the First-Year Experience (FYE) 30th anniversary celebration at Brigham Young University. Bunting serves as assistant dean of BYU Undergraduate Education and as the director of First-Year Experience. During his remarks, he recounted the history of first-year programs, shared plans for the future, and advised faculty members on what they can do in the present to help freshman succeed.
History of First-Year Programs
Bunting began by sharing scriptural foundations for first-year programs. He cited Moroni 6:4 in The Book of Mormon, which reads, “And after they had been received unto baptism, their names were taken, that they might be remembered and nourished. . .”
He equated this scripture about ancient members of the church to new freshman at BYU, who need to be guided and given resources to succeed. The ultimate goal of first-year programs, Bunting explained, is to create a Zion society, where there are “no poor among them” (Moses 7:18).
Over the last 30 years, the BYU first-year program has undergone various adjustments. It began in 1993 as SHINE — an on-campus living and learning program with small groups of students living in the same housing complexes and attending multiple classes together, with some classes taught in the dorms. In 1994, SHINE changed its name to “Freshman Academy,” and over the years the program expanded to serve more students.
In 2010, Freshman Academy was replaced with “Freshman Mentoring,” an updated program that placed emphasis on peer mentoring and assigned one peer mentor to every student. The Freshman Mentoring program was more integrated with New Student Orientation. In 2012, the program was further refined and renamed to “First-Year Mentoring,” which it is still known by today. In the First-Year Mentoring program, new students are assigned to peer mentors based on major or academic interest. Mentors reach out to students a few months before classes begin to help them prepare for their arrival at the university, and the mentors continue to work with the students throughout their first year at BYU. Peer-to-peer interactions between students and their mentors is a main emphasis of the program.
Created by Dallin Lee
Created by Dallin Lee
Future Plans
Bunting then discussed the new course for incoming freshman — UNIV 101: BYU Foundations for Student Success — that has been piloted the past year. Beginning winter 2024, the class will be required for all incoming freshman at BYU. UNIV 101 was designed with the needs of freshman in mind. The course is focused on the mission and aims of BYU, and will be taught in small class sections so new freshman can make connections with their classmates and teachers more easily. Students will be introduced to campus resources and peer mentoring will be embedded in the class. The content of the course is aligned with what President C. Shane Reese taught about the three essential aspects of the first-year experience: a sense of mission and purpose, connections, and resources. Bunting sees various strengths of FYE over the years coming together with this new model, which includes New Student Orientation, Peer Mentoring, and UNIV 101.
Supporting First-Year Students
Having discussed the history of first-year programs and future plans, Bunting suggested some practical strategies faculty members could use to help support BYU first-year students. These included considering "the stories we tell” and “the questions we ask.”
Bunting discussed the well-known selectiveness of BYU admissions. The high standards of admission can sometimes overwhelm new students, who wonder if they can measure up to their classmates and be successful at the university. He suggested telling the right story can help first-year students adjust to college life. An overly positive story telling a freshman everything is going to go perfectly sets them up for disappointment. A story telling them they’ll be lucky to pass their class brings anxiety and dread. A balanced story, one that describes ups and downs with gradual progress over time provides realistic expectations setting first-year students up for success.
To introduce a discussion on “the questions we ask,” Bunting shared “an equation for becoming.” The equation read, “Growth = Effort + Effective Strategies + Help-Seeking.” He encouraged faculty members to engage in reflective conversations with freshmen. During these discussions, faculty can ask questions to help students evaluate their effort, adjust their strategies, and identify who they could reach out to for help.
At the close of his message, Bunting quoted Elder Clark Gilbert, Church commissioner of education, who said, “. . . sometimes grit alone is not enough. To do all that is expected of you as a student, you will need to work hard and demonstrate grit. But to go where you need to go will take something more. You will need to seek after the strengthening power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Yes, we have to work hard, do our best, and marshal all of the personal grit we can; but in the end, we must rely on the Savior and His grace. Be prepared to move from grit to grace. Involve the Lord. Pray for His help, and He will magnify your efforts.”
Bunting then added a fourth step to the equation for becoming, which then read “Growth = Effort + Effective Strategies + Help-Seeking + Divine Power & Grace.”
To learn more about how to support BYU first-year students, review the slides below.