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The First Year Experience

As soon as our new students arrive, they are transitioned into the Program’s expectations and the surrounding area. Our staff and second year students all participate in that process, formally and informally. Several aspects of the Program are focused almost exclusively on the new, first year students, and constitute what we call the "First Year Experience." First year students will also be given password access to the "First Year Toolbox" link on our Web site to permit access to pertinent materials and resources that will be needed prior to and following their arrival at UD.

Our 2-day Program Retreat in early July takes place away from our local offices and assists in the transition process. The first day is reserved solely for First Year Fellows and the Program Director in order to review the responsibilities, conditions, expectations, and Program attributes for the next two years. A personal laptop computer is issued to each student at this time, which will be his/hers to keep upon degree completion.  The First Year Field Trip series is explained during the Retreat and reviewed from the Program’s Web site, as are the accompanying writing, speaking, and photographic assignments. Students receive their Summer Rotation schedule at Longwood Gardens and are introduced to the "Rotation Logs" that are kept throughout the experience by each new Fellow. The International Experience, which is also referenced on our Web site, is explained during the Retreat and the First Year students start meeting to plan this experience before July is out. The Retreat also serves as an introduction to the nature of the thesis research project that each student must conceptualize, in concert with the Program Director, and complete within the two-year timeframe. Thesis topic discussions with the Director begin in August and meetings occur monthly until a research proposal is developed and presented by December 1 of the first year in residence. Before the end of the second semester, a single First Year Fellow is selected to received the Louise Roselle Fellowship, an honor that financially enhances Fellow’s research budget as well as his/her annual stipend.