First-Year Summer Enrichment Program

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Kicking off the college journey with the FYSEP pre-orientation program!

• Established in the fall of 2009 as a student-led year-long mentorship program
• Connects first-year students with trained upper-level mentors and campus resources
• Currently comprised of students, mentors and mentees, friends and peers, staff, faculty, and even alumni, who come together to enrich each other's Dartmouth experience
• Thanks to alumni funding, currently exists as a four-week summer program before the fall of students' first year

GOAL: We work to ease first-year students' transition to Dartmouth academically and personally, and we enjoy many social events together

FYSEP provides a rigorous, dynamic, and transformative experience that puts participants in a position to thrive at Dartmouth academically and socially. 

The program offers:

• sample classes with Dartmouth faculty 
• workshops
• activities
• seminars

all designed to simulate life at Dartmouth and to prepare participants to handle some of the challenges they may face during the course of their first year. Through a four-week pre-orientation program and ongoing support, FYSEP students gain a broad array of understandings and skills designed to help them make the most of their experiences inside and outside of the classroom.

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Marshmallow challenge!
Photo by Jay Davis

FG/LI students receive invitations in the spring to participate at the end of the summer. We encourage students who are not invited to the program to utilize the Undergraduate Deans' Office, the Office of Pluralism and Leadership, the Academic Skills Center, and Dartmouth's many peer-mentoring programs.

Students Learn: 

• To thrive in Dartmouth's academic landscape.
• To use campus resources to support them in their personal lives.
• To utilize the unique support network of their FYSEP cohort and mentors.
• To better understand their own inner strengths, affinities, and areas for growth.

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Dressed in green and full of energy, these 2024 FYSEP mentors were the heart of support and guidance for our first-gen students during pre-orientation!

In 2020, we announced a dramatically expanded program supported by a $13 million gift in alumni donations. Historically, FYSEP was a five-day pre-orientation session; now it is a four-week long program. Students have valued the strong connection to the community,  establishment of healthy habits, and valuable exposure to a range of campus resources designed to help them thrive. 

FYSEP students transition into their undergraduate careers better prepared for Dartmouth's academics and more solidly grounded in a nurturing and supportive community.