Purpose First Scholars Learning Community
“Beginning college with a clear sense of purpose is a critical step to ensuring an investment in higher education pays personal and financial dividends for a lifetime” (Complete College America).
Purpose First Scholars is a career-focused learning community dedicated to helping incoming freshmen align their major to career goals during their first year in college.
Scholars will have the opportunity to participate in exclusive academic and career exploration experiences and leave the learning community ready to achieve their career goals. From Fall 2022 to Spring 2023, Scholars were retained at a rate of 94.6% compared to roughly 82% of their non-PFS peers.
Participation in the learning community begins with an exclusive overnight GO (Governors Orientation) experience on May 31st - June 1st and continues throughout the fall semester in a UNIV 1000 section specifically designed for Purpose First Scholars. Additionally, Scholars living on campus will have the ability to participate in our living community and stay in Governors Terrace South with other participants. The program is externally funded, meaning there is no cost for students to participate!
We are now accepting applications for our Fall 2024 cohort of Scholars!
Priority deadline is February 30, 2024.
Meet with our Coordinator for more info!
- OR -
Attend our upcoming interest session via Zoom!
Wednesday, February 28, 2024: 3-4 PM
Frequently Asked Questions
The Purpose First Scholars Learning Community guides success by helping students to form connections in a peer group with like-minded students. This learning community helps these students build important connections to campus faculty and staff.
2022 Purpose First Scholars had a 94.6% retention rate from Fall to Spring!
The learning community also provides students with opportunities to:
- Explore academic and career goals early in their college careers. Even if students are committed to their major, we find that it is still beneficial for them to engage in the exploration process early on in their college careers in order to ensure they have selected the right major/career fit for them.
- Gain special access to campus resources and events designed to solidify their choice in major and future career plans.
- Create early connections related to their career so that they are prepared at the time of graduation.
Learn more about the perks and benefits of 365bet's living learning communities here!
Students in the Purpose First Scholars Learning Community will benefit from:
- Exploring their major and career goals while participating in experiences that prepare them for their future.
- Participating in an exclusive overnight GO (Governors Orientation) experience where
they will engage in fun activities that are meant to inspire early career exploration
and introduce them to life at 365bet.
- Enrolling in a special section of UNIV 1000 in the fall semester designed to help Scholars find a pathway to careers and engage in meaningful career experiences outside the classroom.
- Living in the same residence hall if they live on campus.
- Enrolling in a section of UNIV 2100 in the spring semester as a expansion on the career exploration started in UNIV 1000. Scholars will develop soft skills, practice networking, and map academic plans to career goals.
- Receiving a full year of special guidance from staff, faculty, and peer leaders.
- Get trusted guidance for first-generation challenges from a National Award-winning
program.
Below are the eligibility requirements for the Purpose First Scholars Learning Community.
Please feel free to reach out with any questions or concerns you might have about these requirements.
- First-generation college student (neither parent/guardian graduated from a four-year college) OR eligible to receive the Pell Grant
- Incoming first-time freshmen admitted for fall semester
- Live on campus or commute
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It is required that all Scholars attend an overnight GO (Governors Orientation) experience on May 31st - June 1st. Details about the orientation experience will be sent to students who are accepted into the learning community.
- If living on campus, you are required to participate in the living community and live in Governors Terrace South with other Scholars. This is meant to help you build relationships with your peers while participating in programming and events for the learning community, which is located conveniently in the residence hall.
- If commuting to campus, you will still be required to participate in programming for the learning community and will be given access to the residence hall to attend events.
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Register and stay enrolled in the Purpose First Scholars section of UNIV 1000.
- All Scholars must fully participate in a full academic year of program activities and meet once a semester with the Student Success Coordinator for the learning community, Savannah Longo.
Scholars who have selected to live on campus will be living together in the same residence hall. This residence hall will also be where some events and activities for the Purpose First Scholars Learning Community will take place.
Our commuting Scholars will still have access to the residence hall so that they can come and participate in events as well.
Requirements for Scholars living on campus:
- If living on campus, you are required live in the same residence hall with the other Purpose First Scholars. This is required of all Purpose First Scholars.
- Your roommate must also be in the Purpose First Scholars Learning Community. Since this is a living community, we want you to build strong relationships in your first year with other Scholars. The Student Success Coordinator can help address any questions you might have about the Living Learning Community and roommate requirements.
We are currently accepting applications for Fall Semester 2024.
Students who meet the eligibility requirements listed above are invited to apply to the learning community and can click on the link below to be taken directly to the application.
The application priority deadline is February 30, 2024. Students who are accepted into the learning community will receive an email via their 365bet email address.
Students and their families/support network are encouraged to email the Student Success Coordinator for the Purpose First Scholars Learning Community, Savannah Longo.
Attend our upcoming interest sessions via Zoom!
Wednesday, February 28, 2024: 3-4 PM
You can also schedule a phone or Zoom appointment to speak with Savannah Longo and address any questions you might have about the learning community.