Wright College First-Years’ First Experience Program

By: Reanna Sturgill

As you walk through the Science Building before hitting the cafeteria, you see room S100, The First-Year Student Resource Center. Within your first steps inside, you are immediately welcomed with large smiles and a calming energy. 

The First-Year Experience is a program designed to help first-year students at Wilbur Wright College with the transition process. The program aims to prepare students to be successful academically and socially in their first year so that their second year and on become easier.

Director Victor Munoz in his office located in the Dean of Instruction, A113. 

Director of the First-Year Experience program at Wright College, Director Victor Munoz, says “Developing a program just for those first-year students would be ideal and would make sense to help and be successful and overall just increase retention rates, graduation rates, things like that– metrics.”

In terms of outreach that the First Year Experience does, Director Muonz says “The more that we do, the better.” All first-year students in their first or second semester, receive emails and texts through Navigate about upcoming events the program is hosting. 

Students are invited and encouraged to join events through in-person strategies as well. Under the First Year Experience program are peer mentors who assist first-year students on campus. Peer mentors are fellow students who have experienced similar situations that first years may be going through now. They are a resource for students to get answers to their questions or to questions they didn’t know they had. 

On Jan. 30, The Peer Mentors hosted their first event of the semester, a Meet and Greet for the First-Year Experience program. Their main purpose is for students to meet the mentors and get information about what the First Year Experience is. There was fun in the air as students got to know each other before the presentation began.

Director Munoz says “Community college, serves students with different journeys.” He believes having a diverse peer mentor group helps with a diverse student body. Director Munoz says “It’s important to know and acknowledge that there are students with different journeys because how would we accommodate their needs if we only have students from one age group?” 

In his seven months as director, Munoz says he has had students thanking him for his support in their first semester because of the difference it made. He adds that he has seen a huge impact on CCC across the board. Director Munoz states “I wish that all students have that experience, but we do what we can.”

To students who may feel shy or nervous about attending events Director Munoz expresses “It’s a friendly environment that we’re inviting you to. This is a space for you to ask any questions. The goal is that we’re here to support you, so give it a try.”  

Even if students do not want to participate in the events, Director Munoz encourages engagement and feedback from students. He says “If we need to improve it in some sort of way, then I would love to hear from the students themselves.” 

Students can reply to the email about the event directly or meet with him in room A113 with any questions or concerns.