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MU’s living and learning communities and freshman
interest groups were recognized as among the best programs
in the nation for incoming students by U.S. News and
World Report. MU was the only Big 12 school to be recognized
in three categories focusing on student experiences in college.
Photo by MU Publications and Alumni Communication
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FIGs
Lead to Increased Retention, Student Satisfaction
Celebrating its 10th anniversary,
the MU program, is a national model in creating a supportive environment.
By Christian Basi
Whether they are from a city of 1.5 million
people or a town of 1,500, freshman students at the University
of Missouri-Columbia have the opportunity to enroll in Freshman
Interest Groups as a way to adjust to college life, learn
what the institution has to offer and meet fellow students. University
officials say the popular program, mirrored in universities across
the country, has increased retention and satisfaction on campus
significantly after only a few years.
“Our overall goal is to help students
with the college transition, and we do that by making the campus
psychologically smaller,” said Andrew Beckett, coordinator
of the FIG program. “This helps our students get the benefits
of a small liberal arts college setting while maintaining the
opportunities of a major research institution.”
Beckett recently compared retention figures
of the FIG students with those students who are not involved in
the program and found a 5 percent difference in retention rates
across the board. Beckett compared students based on participation
and predicted academic success and found that students who participated
in a FIG their freshman year were more likely to return to the
University for their sophomore year than those who did not participate.
“Participation in a FIG is completely
voluntary,” Beckett said. “Students in FIGs are housed
together by academic interest and are co-enrolled in three courses.
They also take a one-hour ‘pro-seminar’ where they
discuss everything from diversity on campus to how to register
for classes the following semester. The course helps to put things
into perspective.”
Students enrolled in FIGs are required to
attend a cultural event as well as visit with faculty members
throughout the course of the semester, and students have the opportunity
to form study groups for their individual classes. In addition,
a co-facilitator, or member of the MU faculty and staff, is assigned
to an individual FIG. The co-facilitator, along with an upperclassman,
engages the new students in a variety of discussions about campus
life and their triumphs and struggles.
“When you’re sitting in
a class of 500 students, knowing 20 people in the room can make
the class seem a lot more manageable,” Beckett said. “In
addition, if you’re still deciding on a major, this gives
you an opportunity to become immersed in that culture and see
if that is the best fit for you. We’re proud that we have
been a national model and mentioned in national rankings as one
of the best programs in the country.”
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Published by the Mizzou Alumni Association
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Last Update:
November 15, 2007
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