NSE Goals and Outcomes
In line with Baylor’s strategic plan Illuminate, the following outlines the hopes and expectations Baylor has for undergraduate students during their first year at Baylor. These goals and outcomes assist the university in ensuring that our year-long onboarding experience is holistic and customized for each student. Some student groups (e.g., First In Line students, student athletes, and BIC students) have the New Student Experience framework woven in to the fabric of their entire first year as part of that group. If you'd like this as a document, click here.
The New Student Experience consists of various components including the following:
- Orientation
- Line Camp
- Welcome Week
- Living on Campus
- Chapel
- New Student Experience (NSE) Courses
- Academic Advising
In their first year, new students at Baylor are called to flourish in a community . . .
- . . . of academic rigor
- . . . of personal growth
- . . . of faith formation
- . . . of cultural humility
Academic Rigor
Definition: New students will become active learners who take ownership of their academic path, developing critical thinking skills and a passion for lifelong learning.
Learning Outcome
Students will:
- Develop foundational academic habits including time management, active and regular class participation, grit, and effective study skills.
- Develop an educational plan that will lead to timely graduation by partnering with their academic advisor and affirming a best-fit major.
- Meet progression requirements and enroll for subsequent semesters.
- Utilize at least two university resources that can assist with academic success.
Achieved Through Programs Including:
- Orientation
- Academic Advising
- NSE Courses
- 1:1 Academic Mentoring
- Tutoring
- Students Not Yet Registered Follow-up
- University Writing Center
Personal Growth
Definition: New students should engage in learning opportunities that allow them to analyze their holistic wellbeing (emotional, physical, social, academic, and spiritual).
Learning Outcomes—
Students will:
- Utilize wellness resources available on campus.
- Participate in a social community of support.
- Explore opportunities for leadership and service.
- Explore career aspirations in the context of their academic program.
Achieved Through Programs Including:
- Intramurals
- The Store & The Fridge
- Career Center
- Wellness resources
- Late Night and Mosaic Mixer
- NSE courses
- Orientation
Faith Formation
Definition: New students will explore spiritually formative opportunities at Baylor through Christian worship, faith practices, and the witness of faculty, staff, and students.
Learning Outcomes—
Students will:
Identify at least two resources that assist students with developing and strengthening their understanding of faith.
- Describe what is distinctive about attending a Christian university.
- Begin to understand how faith integrates with, and informs, calling and the academic life.
- Begin to articulate how faith leads to an ethic of care, compassion, and empathy.
Achieved Through Programs Including:
- Line Camp and Welcome Week Ceremonies
- Two Religion classes and other curricular experiences
- Pastoral and Community Support
- Chapel Experiences
- Resident Chaplain Ministry and other residential programming
- NSE courses
Cultural Humility
Definition: New students will begin to foster the virtue of cultural humility by reflecting on the unique nature of cultures (racial, ethnic, gender, socio-economic, religious, ability).
Learning Outcomes—
Students will:
- Identify two distinctive aspects of their own cultural formation.
- Demonstrate knowledge of a cultural/faith/value system previously unfamiliar to them.
- Recognize and respond accordingly to social realities which inhibit another community member’s ability to flourish.
Achieved Through Programs Including:
- Study Abroad and Mission Trips
- Language and Multicultural Courses
- Better Together
- The Good Neighbor Project
- Residence Hall Programs
- Welcome Week
- Cultural Competency Initiatives
- NSE courses