FY101 Instructor & Peer Mentor Resources

Training Resources:

FY101 Instructor and Peer Mentor In Person Retreat- May 2, 2025. Google Slides here.
New Instructor Training- In person and remote options summer 2025. Google Slides here.

Summer 2025:

Completed:

FY101 Pro Devo Summer Session Three
How to make your presentations NOT ugly: A beginner’s workshop to design (led by a professional)
Monday, June 30 | 1-1:45pm
Join OSPL Program Coordinator Alyssa Doust for a Zoom workshop about how to make presentations, flyers and designs more visually appealing. Learn Canva basics. This workshop has direct application to FY101 but will be useful for other parts of your job (and life!) Alyssa has a BA in Studio Art & Design and is pursuing her MFA in Graphic Design at BU. She taught visual arts at BU Academy for two years and is excited to share tips and tricks with the FY101 community.

FY101 Pro Devo Summer Session One
Supporting Incoming International Students
Wednesday, June 4 | 11-11:45am
Anne Corriveau, the Director of International Admissions at BU, will share the demographics of the incoming international class, give us insight as to what types of uncertainty incoming students are facing and an overview of resources to support them at BU when they come to campus.
Zoom recording link here. | Passcode: 12sKGgg=
Presentation slides here.

FY101 Pro Devo Summer Session Two
Help your students succeed academically: Making the most of the Educational Resource Center (ERC)
Friday, June 13 | 9:30-10:15am
Bob Maxwell, Assistant Director for Academic Support at the ERC, will present a mini-workshop- Study Smarter!- that you can book for your FY101 class this Fall. He will also share ERC and academic success resources that you can share directly with your students this Fall. We all know the academic transition to BU is challenging, so learn how to best support your students through this session.
Zoom recording link here. | Passcode: ?4SbLcJk
Presentation slides here.

Past Summer Pro Devo:

Mindfulness Activities for your FY101 Class (2022)
Melissa Paz, Assistant Director of Mental Health Promotion, with BU’s Health Promotion & Prevention Office, shares mindfulness activities you can easily share with your students. Choose one activity to do during a week of FY101 or choose all of them to do during your Stress Management Week.
Facilitator Guide is here.

Supporting East Asian Students through FY101 (2020)
For this session, I will be speaking about international students, mainly from East Asia.  My goal is to assist with cultural competency, to help you get to know people from these regions better, and most importantly, to learn how to pronounce their names!
Facilitated by: Samantha Fifield, Assistant Director of International Admissions
(PPT here)

BU COMMUNITY & ACADEMIC PATHWAYS TO SUCCESS

After successful completion of  Week One of FY101, students will be able to:

• Recognize that making connections leads to a sense of belonging and overall college success
• Discover the skills and practices necessary to make personal connections
• Make personal connections with other students and staff in FY101
• Breakdown the components of a college syllabus necessary for success in a college course 

Week One Outline:

• IceBreaker/Name Game
  • Some FY101 activities/icebreakers to get you started!
  • Human Bingo template (you can make a copy and edit with different prompts or use these! Print one per student)
  • Ice breaker questions to use week to week
  • FY101 Instructor presentation of additional engagement activities
• FY101 Overview and Goals
  • Connect FY101 to sense of belonging and college success
  • Why and how FY101 is going to help with the transition to college
• FY101 Syllabus Overview
  • Use FY101 syllabus as a way to explain the parts of a college syllabus and how to use it. i.e. you are responsible for info in all of your syllabi for your academic classes (due dates, grading criteria, late policies, absence policies, etc)
  • Attendance is expected. If you’re sick or have an emergency, contact your instructor!
• Describe the role of the Instructor and Peer Mentor and participatory nature of class
• Group activity of choice (get them moving and talking to each other!- check out suggestions from ice breakers)
• Encourage students to attend Splash (BU Student Activities Fair- usually held on the first Saturday of the academic year at 12pm on Nickerson Field- likely Saturday, September 6, 2025 ) or debrief Splash/campus involvement thus far (if you’re a Monday section)
• Instructor/PM Slide Deck: Includes info for First Year Experience Rewards Program, FY101 Excursions and a QR code for the mandatory day one FY101 survey (Peer Mentors will have flyers for First Year Rewards and FY101 Excursion promotion, too)
• Have students complete FY101 Survey on their phones/computers: Link TBD

Possible group activities/getting to know you resources for week one and beyond (please be creative and do your own thing to get your students interacting in pairs or small groups!- there are more ideas on the bottom of the page under FY101 Additional Resources):

• FY101 BINGO: Getting to know you activity that gets students moving. (you can make a survey in advance of class and use their actual fun facts for Human Bingo)
• Commonalities: Put students in pairs and have them find the most interesting thing they have in common. Have them share it out in the large group. Then put them in groups of four. Have them find the most interesting thing that new group has in common. Share it out in the large group. Double group size each time until the whole class has to find something they have in common.
• FY101 engagement ideas here
• Cultural Touchstone: The week before (don’t do this activity until week 2 at earliest), assign students to bring something that represents a significant part of their life prior to BU. Have the Peer Mentor and Instructor share theirs as an example. This could be a family photo, a souvenir from an impactful experience, a certificate of completion of something important, etc. Have everyone share their item. (Consider breaking this up over a series of classes to save time. Or put them in small groups to share). 
• Pictionary: Make it BU themed, Boston themed, or theme it based on that week’s topic (Time Management, Stress Management, etc).
• Padlet– You can make a “board” and ask students a question such as “How are you feeling about midterms?” “How are things going with your roommate?”, etc and they can respond via images/gifs/words and then share out.
• Ultimate Ice Breaker Tool Box: A shareable resource from colleagues in the field

BU COMMUNITY

After successful completion of Week Two of FY101, students will be able to:

• Identify co-curricular activities that align with interests and goals
• Navigate Terrier Central/SAO Website and other resources to learn about and join activities of interest  
• Discover the skills and practices necessary to make personal connections  
• Make personal connections with other students and staff in FY101

Week Two Outline:

Getting Involved (google doc outline here)

• Icebreaker/Name Game
• Highs & Lows of the week
• Intro to Getting Involved
  • What does it mean to get involved?
    • Endless options for involvement: Student organizations, on or off campus jobs, Residence Hall Associations, Community Service Center, Howard Thurman Center, research, athletics, religious life, etc 
  • Why is it important to get involved?
    • Can help you define your interests academically, personally, professionally
    • Helps you get the most out of your (very expensive) education
    • All research in higher ed says students who are involved are more satisfied with their college experience
  • What does getting involved look like?
    • Have your Peer Mentor share a few things they are involved in and what they have gained from them. Emphasize the difference in attendance expectations between student organizations (can join and attend meetings, etc when it suits you) vs a work study job (where you have to show up for all of your shifts) or research (you are expected to show up for specific hours and complete specific tasks). Have them describe what happens at a club meeting in order to demystify clubs in college and help your students see how they might meet people through getting involved. 

• Finding Opportunities- Peer Mentor shows class how to use Terrier Central/SAO Organization Website to find student organizations of interest at BU. Peer Mentor can also show how to find additional opportunities for involvement that are not on the SAO website:
  • Community Service Center
  • Howard Thurman Center
  • Residence Hall Associations: each residence hall has their own student run organization to build community. Find out about yours through your RA.
  • Athletics: Club Sports, Intramural Sports, Physical Education classes at Fit Rec
  • Research: UROP (Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program)
  • Student jobs on campus – Work-Study and non work-study opportunities
  • BU Calendars- BU Today Event Calendar | BU Academic Calendar (drop dates, no class dates, etc)
    
    
• Activities to find connections among interests: (choose one or make up your own!)
  • Concentric Circles- Getting involved!: (get your students in two equal circles, one interior and one exterior so every student is facing another student. Shift the outside circle one to the right after each question so they talk to a new student for each prompt):
    • What was your favorite activity in high school?
    • What was something you did in high school/ your last institution that you don’t want to continue?
    • What is something you did in high school/your last institution that you do want to continue?
    • What is something new you want to try at BU?
  • Common Interests– Have students choose one of four corners. Once they select their area of interest have them find something they would each want to join individually and one thing of interest to their whole group (they can use Terrier Central and other BU websites to find opportunities) and share back with the class what was of interest to the whole group:
    • Academic Opportunities
    • Cultural Opportunities
    • Athletic Opportunities
    • Community Service Opportunities
  • Scavenger Hunts- Break your class into groups of 4-5 students. Give them 15-20 minutes to complete as much of the George Sherman Union or 100 Bay State Rd Scavenger Hunt as possible. When time is up, have them share their answers/selfies to the class and award a winner (this activity would work in other class session as well)
  • Make your own organization- Break your class into groups of 4-5 students. Give them 5 minutes to get to know each other- prompt them with questions about interests, high school activities, majors, skills etc. Then have them collectively make up a student organization they could run together based on their skills and interests. Make sure it doesn’t already exist with SAO and then share your organization’s title and mission statement with the class.
  • CAS Opportunities- Have your students break into groups by academic division based on their major (Social Sciences, Natural Sciences, Computer Science/Math/Economics, Humanities and Undeclared). In their groups, review their division’s resource guides and find at least one thing they are all interested in pursuing, then have each group share out with the class.
  • CAS Resource Guides by Academic Division
    
• De-brief as a group… have students attended any club meetings yet? Gotten a job on campus, etc? How is their exploration going?
  Share Instructor/PM experiences of how you find what makes you come alive in college vs. just doing things to put them on a resume
  Note: Encourage students to attend a general interest meeting or event this week!
• CAS Student Programs & Leadership (OSPL) runs the First Year Experience, events in the fall semester specifically for first-year students and first-semester transfers.These events are meant to help our newest undergraduates, both first-years and transfer students, transition into the intellectual, social, and cultural community of Boston University. The more events you attend, the more rewards you are eligible to receive. All students are welcome to attend; rewards program is limited to CAS First-Years, CAS First Semester Transfers, and all students enrolled in FY101.

BU COMMUNITY

After successful completion of Week Three of FY101, students will be able to:

• Discover the skills and practices necessary to make personal connections
• Make personal connections with other students and staff in FY101
• Identify Boston neighborhoods and how to access them via public transportation

Week Three Outline:

• Highs and Lows of the Week
• Event/Meeting Check-In: Who went where?
  • Buzzfeed Neighborhood Quiz- Here
    • Group students by what neighborhood they get and have them research and present a 1/2 day itinerary in that neighborhood (i.e. food, activity, how to get there). Have your Peer Mentor score each presentation and award the group that described the itinerary they would most likely do.
  • Put students into groups and have them make a Boston itinerary for hosting different types of guests:
    • Wealthy uncle who wants to treat you and your friends to dinner and an activity. Your uncle is into Boston history and loves seafood. What do you suggest and how do you get there?
    • Friend from another college who misses Dominican food and loves music. They are on a student budget but have a college ID for discounts. What do you suggest and how do you get there?
    • Your 15 year old brother who is into art and boba tea. Your parents gave you $100 for the weekend to entertain him.  What do you do and how do you get there?
    • Your friend who is still in high school but is interested in coming to Boston for college. They are into outdoor parks and Indian food. What do you suggest and how do you get there?
  • Boston Trivia Kahoot- Here  An interactive intro to Boston including city demographics and an interactive component (use our Kahoot log in: username- ospl@bu.edu/pw: Yawkey423!)Possible Boston Activities
  • Boston Pictionary- Make it Boston themed (create prompts in advance)
  • Assign students to review a specific neighborhood in BU’s Diversity and Inclusion Neighborhood guide and then present a half day itinerary for that neighborhood including a place to get food, an activity and how to get there
  • Put students on teams and assign each team a neighborhood. Each team researches and presents an itinerary that includes how to get there, a free activity, a paid activity, and lunch with dessert. Have the Peer Mentor decide which group wins aka which itinerary they would choose for their Saturday!
• Boston Resources to share with your class:
  • BU’s Diversity and Inclusion crowdsourced Cultural Guide to Boston (a great resource that includes locations to get natural hair styled, find food from all ethnicities, seek LGBTQ community, etc)
  • Curated Guide to Boston
  • WBUR’s Field Guide to Boston (learn what it means to be “storrowed”; discover the magic of “Allston Christmas”)- sign up for their Boston newsletter here
• Peer Mentor has students sign up for one on ones (one on ones take place mid-september to late october)

BU COMMUNITY

After successful completion of Week Four of FY101, students will be able to:

• Navigate to a location off campus
• Further connect with students in their class in informal ways
• Consume a delicious treat made in Boston!

Outing Guidelines Fall 2025

• You get $15/head (including PM and Instructor) to go somewhere just off campus
• Include food! (either go to an eating establishment or choose a local park and bring food for them)
• Pay with your BU Travel Card or Personal Card and get reimbursed. To make sure your reimbursement comes via Direct Deposit (versus a paper check), follow these directions (if neither of these are an option for you, let Simon know. Peer Mentors should not use their own money for these)
• 50 minutes is not a long time to get somewhere, eat and get back to campus, so have your class meet on the street outside your classroom building to save time. Pre-order food so you don’t have to wait in line or wait for them to make up their minds.  Remember that groups of first year students walk SLOWLY.
• Send Alyssa a picture of your group on their outing! aldoust@bu.edu

Some ideas to get you started…

Any starting point:

Food on the Esplanade or on BU Beach: Pre-order food (instructor picks it up and Peer Mentor walks the class to the meeting point?) and enjoy it as a picnic on the BU Beach or the Charles River Esplanade (the grassy area along the Charles River). You can cross over Storrow Dr to the Esplanade at a few key locations along BU’s campus (Silber Way overpass or the overpass by the BU Beach). Protip: Bring a couple picnic blankets or plastic table cloths to sit on bc these are prime geese poop areas.

East Campus Classroom Starting Point:

Blackbird Doughnuts: Great option for a morning class as they are open from 7am-4pm Mon- Fri (0.5 miles from 100 Bay State Road) at Fenway. Pre-order on-line or have your students select their items when you arrive. Your allotment should be enough for at least a donut and a drink for everyone.  Blackbird has vegan options but not gluten free. Fenway location info here. You can sit on the lawn in front of Time Out Market after you get your treats or walk around Fenway together.

Time Out Market: Walk from 100 Bay State Rd to the many optioned Time Out Market (0.6 miles). E-mail Time Out Market (alvaro.marmolejo@timeout.com) with the number of pre-paid $15 cards you want for you and your class- have your students RSVP first so you don’t have extras ($15 is enough for everyone to get something…and they can always use their own money for more). They need 48 business hours notice and the cards should be available for your pick up at your outing time. They will e-mail you a form to fill out your travel card or personal credit card information. Let them know what day and time you are coming as that is when the cards will be activated for (cards are good  for 3 years post activation so if you have extras use to buy everyone a donut or as a prize later on). Everyone can choose what they want to eat inside and then take their food to go to sit inside in the hall or in outdoor tables. When you reconcile the charge, call the charges “meal cards” (NOT “gift cards” which are not allowed).

Central Campus Classroom Starting Point

Futago Udon: Located in Boston University’s South Campus, Futago Udon is a local restaurant that specializes in an array of authentic udon noodles. Meet outside on the COM Lawn and walk to South Campus as a group (0.4 miles). View the menu and order ahead of time using this link! This restaurant opens at 12:00 PM, and students can walk 5 minutes to Monmouth Park to enjoy their meals together!

Giggling Rice Thai Togo: Walk from the College of Arts and Sciences building to Giggling Rice Thai Togo, a delicious local restaurant that’s just steps away from South Campus (0.4 miles). This restaurant is open from 11:30 AM – 3:30 PM on weekdays, and sections can use this link to view the menu and order in advance. After picking up your meals, students can walk 7 minutes to Time Out Market to spend time as a group!

Shinmio Tea: Meet on Marsh Plaza and walk to Shinmio Tea, a cafe that’s known for the milk tea and pastries (0.4 miles). The restaurant opens at 11:30 AM, and you can view the menu here. Students can walk six minutes to Time Out Market after picking up their orders or hang out in front of the shop.

Amory Park: A popular green space among Brookline residents and BU students.  Play games, relax, people and dog watch. Pick up donuts, pizza or another tasty treat in advance and walk with your class to Amory Park where you can enjoy your food together. A 15 min walk from the CAS building.

West Campus Classroom Starting Point

T Anthony’s Pizzeria: As a longstanding staple to Boston’s local restaurant scene, T Anthony’s is famous for its thin crust pizzas and offers many food choices for students. Meet at the College of General Studies and walk down Commonwealth Avenue to reach this restaurant (0.4 miles).  Call ahead at (617) 734-7708 to place your order or schedule a group order online. This restaurant also showcases BU sports memorabilia, so come prepared to show your school spirit! Your section can walk to the nearby Amory Park after picking up your pizza. 

Live Alive: Meet right at the Live Alive in West Campus for a delicious meal (888 Commonwealth Avenue Boston, MA 02215). You can view the menu and schedule ahead by placing a catering order at the BU location. After picking up your order, feel free to walk to the nearby Amory Park to enjoy your meal.

El Jefe’s Taqueria: Walk from the College of General Studies to the new restaurant on BU’s campus: El Jefe’s Taqueria (0.2 miles)! Located at the end of West Campus, El Jefe’s offers several authentic Mexican food and beverage options. This restaurant also has a breakfast menu, making it a great option for early morning classes! Use this link to place an order ahead of your class time, and sections can walk to Knyvet Square to enjoy their meals.

OTTO: Meet at the West Campus location of OTTOs, an iconic New England restaurant! The restaurant serves a variety of classic and unique pizzas, and the full menu can be found here.  Sections can sit at the restaurant or pick up their order at the restaurant and walk to the nearby Amory Park to enjoy their meal.

ACADEMIC PATHWAYS TO SUCCESS

After successful completion of Week Five of FY101, students will be able to:

• Use MyBU Student to map academic requirements and register for classes
• Prepare for their registration appointment/meeting

Week Five Outline:

• Highs and Lows
• Instructor and Peer Mentor guide advising and registration prep using these slides (copy and edit for your needs- there are slides specific to CAS and Transfer Students that you can erase if they are not needed)
• Peer Mentor shows class how to use MyBUStudent for:
  • Finding Advisor
  • Learning compliance status
  • Academic Planning
  • Using the “What If” tool for degree requirements
• How to prepare for your advising appointment:
  • Familiarize yourself with requirements
  • Make sure you are in compliance
  • Choose potential classes
• Possible Activity
  • CAS Academic Requirements Jeopardy- Here
  • Transfer Sections- Consider Inviting Dean Kerry Buglio to lead a conversation about transfer requirements/credits, etc.  She is great! Book her well in advance at kbuglio@bu.edu.

Peer Mentor shows students how to submit resumes via VMock. Resumes are due Week 12– have your students send the instructor a screen shot of their resume submission score to show that they completed it.

ACADEMIC PATHWAYS TO SUCCESS

After successful completion of Week Six of FY101, students will be able to:

• Prioritize academic responsibilities through appropriate time management tools
• Consider which study habits lead to academic success

Week Six Outline:

• Highs and Lows (of time management so far?)
• Brainstorm: why do we procrastinate? Is it a time management issue, a mood management issue, or both? Here is an article you can share as part of the conversation. 
  • 24 Hour Time Grid. Have students create a 24-Hour-Timegrid (either on paper, via the fillable Word Doc or in their electronic calendars) that records time for sleep, meals, classes, work, study time, and free time. Have them pair share what is working for them and what is not. Have students create 1-2 SMART goals to improve how they are spending their time based on their assessment.
  • Study Cycle Activity: Share the Study Cycle. First, ask students to discuss which components of the Study Cycle they have used in the past and which components tend to fall by the wayside. Next, have students ensure their 24 Hour Time Grid addresses each step in the Study Cycle. Emphasize the Review and Assess stages. 
  • Semester at a Glance. Ask students to bring one (or all) of the syllabi from their academic courses to class. Have them record when there are exams, big deadlines, etc in the calendar of their choice. Then encourage them to discuss how they could use Reverse Planning and Weekly Study Plan to break down one of their writing projects or prep for a cumulative exam into manageable chunks. The Semester At a Glance calendar by the ERC can be a helpful tool as well.
  • Review the ERC Resource Guide to give students direction for seeking help in specific classes. Share tips and tricks for time management and studying from PM and Instructor.
    Possible Activities:
  • Scavenger Hunts- Break your class into groups of 4-5 students. Give them 15-20 minutes to complete as much of the 100 Bay State Rd Scavenger Hunt as possible (includes ERC  and Writing Center for Academic Success). When time is up, have them share their answers/selfies to the class and award a winner.
  • Educational Resource Center (ERC): Consider having staff from the ERC visit your class or you can visit them at the Yawkey Center for Student Services to become more familiar with their space. Book a 30-40 min workshop:
    • Manage your Time and Productivity:  Managing our time effectively is a cornerstone of success. Learn key principles of time management, compare the advantages of different types of time management systems, and explore specific tools to help you consistently plan your time and execute that plan. Discover strategies to help you maximize your focus to get the most out of your work time.
    • Study Smarter: Learning effectively is an acquired skill. Tap into the expertise of cognitive science to learn research-backed study methods that will help you learn the material deeply and retain it longer without taking extra time.
    • Reading for Information: Effectively reading for information calls for a strategy that is distinct from non-academic reading. Learn techniques to read more proactively and to remember what you’ve read. Digital reading is also addressed.
    • Conquer Procrastination and Spark Motivation: Procrastination is a common occurrence, but it can keep us from achieving our goals and has a negative effect on our physical and mental health. Learn why people procrastinate and gain some practical strategies to counter it.
      To book a workshop with the ERC, contact Bob Maxwell maxwellr@bu.edu Assistant Director for Academic Support at the ERC.

• Peer Mentor has students sign up for one on ones

HEALTH, WELLNESS & SAFETY

After successful completion of Week Seven of FY101, students will be able to:

• Identify tools and strategies to manage stress in college
• Identify resources to utilize in times of crisis (BU Counseling and Psychiatric Services, SARP- Survivor Advocacy, Response & Prevention, etc.)

Week Seven Outline:

• Highs and Lows (with focus on stress management)

Possible stress management activities:

• • Mindfulness Activities for your FY101 Class
    Facilitator Guide with mindfulness activities from BU’s Outreach and Prevention Office through Student Health Services is here. Share some with your class!
    
  • Adult coloring w/ conversation about the science behind how it is calming
  • Make up scenarios describing students who are stressed; class responds with advice & referrals to different campus resources
  • Stress Management activities– A series of activities for students to measure their levels of self-care and set goals related to wellness:
    • Self-Care Self-Assessment
      • Share their scores on the board/outloud and reflect on where they can improve
        
    • Prescription for less stress
      • • Have students write their own self-care prescriptions!
    • Wellness Goals Handout
      • Write goals on their own or with a partner/small group and share
  • BU Wellbeing workshop: Schedule a workshop hosted by the BU Wellbeing. (some options include: “Life Management: Redefining Work Life Balance”and “Busting Imposter Syndrome”) Requests must be made a month in advance.
  • Request Sleep Kits, Stress Kits or even a therapy dog or meditation workshop through BU’s Office of Outreach and Prevention here
    
    Additional Resources to share:
    • • BU Wellbeing Resources here
      • Headspace: Students get a free account! Try some relaxation practice through guided meditation on Headspace
      • Physical Wellness: Share FitRec offerings and their online videos and guides
      • BU Student Health Services Guide for responding to anxiety, depression and other common struggles among college students here
      • Sexual Misconduct Resources here (a guide for students and staff) | A BU Student Government created Sexual Assault Prevention Resource Guide here
  • Peer Mentor shows students how to make appointments with SHS (including Behavioral Medicine) and briefly explains why someone might reach out to SARP vs Counseling and Psychiatric Services (CAPS) vs BUPD, etc
•  

No highs and lows this week! Peer Mentors will teach the entire class as part of their grade in ED:245.  They will choose their topics in mid-semester based on the FY101 Pre-Test Survey, their one on ones and light research.

Instructors will observe and grade their Peer Mentor’s class.  Please use this rubric for your Peer Mentor’s class. Share the feedback with them and share the rubric and grade with Simon at msimona@bu.edu.

Instructors can choose what they want to do this week! Your lesson/activity should relate back to one or more overall FY101 Learning Outcomes. We have curated a list of suggestions, but we encourage you to get creative and make up your own thing as well!

Hint: in end of year surveys students often ask for more opportunities to learn about professional development (writing resumes, looking for internships, networking, etc), more time to get to know each other (fun group activities, prompts for sharing) as well as BU field trips (visiting other offices, programs, etc on campus and doing activities/tours there)

Center for Career Development (CCD)- Bring career development into your FY101 class!
Looking to add meaningful career content to your FY101 class? The Center for Career Development is excited to offer a range of engaging workshops that can be delivered during your class by our professional staff or trained Career Ambassadors. We cover a variety of topics designed to meet students where they are, whether they’re exploring interests, building career readiness skills, or beginning to think about life after BU. Topics may include:

• Intro to Career Development
• Resume/CVs
• Internship Search
• Networking & Elevator Pitches
• And more!

Study Abroad Workshop- BU Study Abroad is one of the most unique and advantageous opportunities that students can participate in during their undergraduate career. Study Abroad has so much to offer and is covered by most financial aid for the fall and spring semesters! We’d love to come talk to your students about the basics of the study abroad process at BU, the benefits, and how to make it work for them academically and financially. If you’d like us to present to your class, reach out to Yessenia Valencia, yvale@bu.edu and Sue Robinson, sdrobins@bu.edu, with as much advance notice as possible to schedule a visit (a minimum of three weeks is preferred). Request for BU Abroad to come to your class or go visit them in their office (888 Comm Ave) so your students know how to find them in the future.

You’ve Reached Your Limit of Free Articles- BU Libraries Workshop: BU Libraries add value to your college experience in more ways than you may imagine! Beyond providing access to books, articles, and other research resources, we can help you develop critical thinking skills, understand the new access to information you have as a college student, and provide a welcoming space for the Terrier community. Learn how BU Libraries support students in academic life and social wellbeing, and how to connect to the resources you will need to navigate BU’s vibrant academic experience. Contact Kristina Bush, kambush@bu.edu, Library Experience Manager and Former FY101 Instructor, to schedule.

Exploring Experiential Learning: (Time: 30-50 mins- great for half or full class session)
In this workshop, EL Ambassadors will introduce students to experiential learning, which is the process of learning by doing. Together, we’ll provide an overview of experiential learning opportunities available to students at BU, such as: leadership; mentored research; student employment; and study abroad/away. EL Ambassadors will also provide tips for students to maximize their engagement in these types of opportunities.

Educational Resource Center (ERC)- Consider having staff from the ERC visit your class or you can visit them at the Yawkey Center for Student Services to become more familiar with their space. Book a 30-40 min workshop:

• • Manage your Time and Productivity:  Managing our time effectively is a cornerstone of success. Learn key principles of time management, compare the advantages of different types of time management systems, and explore specific tools to help you consistently plan your time and execute that plan. Discover strategies to help you maximize your focus to get the most out of your work time.
  • Study Smarter: Learning effectively is an acquired skill. Tap into the expertise of cognitive science to learn research-backed study methods that will help you learn the material deeply and retain it longer without taking extra time.
  • Reading for Information: Effectively reading for information calls for a strategy that is distinct from non-academic reading. Learn techniques to read more proactively and to remember what you’ve read. Digital reading is also addressed.
  • Conquer Procrastination and Spark Motivation: Procrastination is a common occurrence, but it can keep us from achieving our goals and has a negative effect on our physical and mental health. Learn why people procrastinate and gain some practical strategies to counter it.
    To book a workshop with the ERC, contact Bob Maxwell maxwellr@bu.edu Assistant Director for Academic Support at the ERC.

BU Housing Selection Workshop- Design your own based on your own research/with the help of your Peer Mentor or invite a guest from BU Housing or Res Life to class to describe the process.

BU Wellbeing workshop: Schedule a workshop hosted by the BU Wellbeing. (some options include: “Life Management- Redefining Work/Life Balance” and “Busting Imposter Syndrome”) Requests must be made a month in advance.

Innovate@BU: Schedule a workshop at the IDG Capital Student Innovation Center Lab at 730 Commonwealth Ave
Introduction to Innovation & Innovate@BU
At the end of this workshop, students will be able to:

• Experience the difference between traditional Innovation and Design Thinking Innovation
• Tell real student innovation stories
• Describe some of the offerings from Innovate@BU

To book a workshop with Innovate@BU, e-mail Siobhan Dullea- sdullea@bu.edu at least two weeks in advance.

Zero Waste Session (Time: 30- 50 mins, depending on instructor needs and interest)
BU Dining and BU Sustainability team up to provide an engaging dive into zero waste and food waste at Boston University. What is the university doing to address modern waste challenges? How can students be a part of this movement? Offerings depend on class time and weather but may include any of the following elements: presentation and discussion, activity or game, live demonstration.

or

CDS (Jenga Building) Sustainability Tour– Book a tour of BU’s newest building which is also the largest fossil free building in Boston to date! The CDS building is LEED certified platinum, the highest award in sustainable building. Tour includes behind the scenes of the mechanical spaces, a look at the green garden roofs and access to the 17th floor (as available).

Please get in touch with BU Sustainability (sustainability@bu.edu) to express interest and coordinate. At least two weeks notice is ideal!

Coffee? and Convo: Facilitate a conversation about finding friends/community in college. This video, made by a college first year student at Cornell, provides a great jumping off point. How have they found community, if they have? What have been the challenges? 

Instructors and Peer Mentors can jointly choose what they want to do this week! Your lesson/activity should relate back to one or more overall FY101 Learning Outcomes. We have curated a list of suggestions, but we encourage you to get creative and make up your own thing as well!

Check out Week Nine for ideas.

YOUR IDENTITY

After successful completion of  Values Week of FY101, students will be able to:

• Consider their highest rated values
• Reflect on how their values rate to others
• Determine if their values are in alignment with a current decision-making process

Values Week Outline:

Values

This is a conversation based class. Begin by introducing the fact that they are going to be talking about some deeper things today and it will be most engaging/enjoyable if everyone participates to the best of their ability. Think about making it feel more conversational by making a circle and having the instructor and peer mentor join the circle to get on their level.

You can find a google doc outline here and Google Slides that go along with this outline here (make a copy of the slides and edit the examples for your own use)

Potential Warm Up:

Forced Choice Activity- Have students choose different sides of the room to show their preference for the various options:
Chocolate vs Vanilla
Mountains vs Ocean
Music vs Sports
Strength vs Beauty
IQ vs Humor

Intro:

We are talking about values today.
Why? Because there are so many decisions you are making in college- major, time spent on extracurriculars, jobs, internships, etc, and you will make the best decisions for yourself if you are in touch with your values- they can help guide you. We’ll do some pair shares, some individual activities and some group conversation to help you dig deeper into your values and think about how they relate to current decisions you are making at BU.

What are examples of values?

Peer Mentor and Instructor share some examples of values and how they may guide your lives. Give students 2 minutes to think of values they hold and share them via a wordcloud (make a free account on Slido for students to use) https://www.slido.com/features-word-cloud

What do these values mean?

Put up the values that the class had identified as important to them (either via Wordcloud or on a dry erase board, etc). Have them share what those values mean to them and how they show up in their lives in pair shares, small groups, or as a full class.

So what are values?

Definition we will use as a class (try to relate back to what they said): “Values are foundational beliefs that guide our lives. They are highly personal and can be conscious or subconscious.” Give an example?

Values Sort- 10 mins 

Print out the Values List in advance. Have the students circle their top 8 values (they can always add values to this list if needed).  Once everyone circles their top 8, have them cut those down to their top 5. Once they select their top 5, have them reduce them to their top 3.

Values Sort Pair Share–

Once they are done (or nearly done) sorting, have them share their top three (and what they mean to them) with a partner. Additional follow up questions: How did it feel to choose only eight values? How did it feel to reduce to just three? Where there any that were harder to eliminate than others? 

Values Mismatch Examples

Instructor shares some of their top values and a time when they made a decision (i.e. internship, job, major, relationship, etc) that didn’t align with those values, Ex. In undergrad Stacy thought she would embark on a career in Public Relations. She interned at Burston Marsteller, a fancy PR firm in NYC. Turns out she felt socially out of place, the environment was stiff and the goal was making money. Her values of authenticity, community and social justice did not align with this experience and that made her change her career goals.

After Instructor shares, Peer Mentor shares.

Values Alignment Examples

Instructor shares a time when they made a decision (i.e. internship, job, major, relationship, etc) that did align with their values. Ex. Stacy’s first job out of college was working at an Outdoor Science School where the work and the people were all focused on authenticity, community building and social justice for students from low income backgrounds.  This was an amazing professional fit (for a year).

After instructor shares, Peer Mentor shares.

Pair Share Alignment/Mismatch- In pairs, students consider their own current value alignment and mismatches at BU (with friends, extracurriculars, majors, etc)

Additional Discussion Questions– In pairs, small groups or large groups, consider engaging in some additional discussion:

• How do your values align or mismatch with your family’s values?
• How have your values been impacted by the pandemic?
• How have your values changed since coming to BU? Since coming to the U.S.? Since coming to Boston?
• How are your values impacted by your gender? By your religion? By your class? By your race?

Self-Reflection- Encourage students to consider the following on their own (this week and periodically as they are charting their path through college):

1. Think about the values of your family and friends. (Those who have a voice in your life) How have they aligned with your values? How might there have been a mismatch with your values? What does that mean for you?
2. Review your top values and your academic + extracurricular interests.  Do your top values align with these interests? How so? Are they any mismatches? How so?

Closing- Thanks so much for your participation. It’s important to continually reflect on your values and if they align with what’s going on in your life. Hope you continue to do so. And this is related to discussions we will have in our next class, Identity and Action. Looking forward!

Show FY101 Letter to Myself Video

Extra Week Outline:

Instructor/Peer Mentor choice related to FY101 Learning Outcomes!

See Instructor Choice Week for ideas and resources.

YOUR IDENTITY

After successful completion of Identity & Action Week of FY101, students will be able to:

• Understand and appreciate cultural and human differences, including race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, and social class
• Interpret an experience from both one’s own and another’s worldview via conversations about and across these differences
• Discuss the concept of privilege and how it presents itself in their lives
• Consider at least one action they can take to work towards equity in their lives as students

Instructor and Peer Mentor Identity and Action Facilitation Guide here
Google Slides here
Identity Wheel here (your Peer Mentor should have enough copies for your class)
Identity Signs to post around your classroom here (your Peer Mentor will have copies, but you need to bring tape)
Identity & Action Survey for students to complete at end of class- help them commit to an action!

This is also the week Resumes are due! Your students should submit them via VMock and send their instructor a screenshot of their score.

Extra Week Outline:

Instructor/Peer Mentor choice related to FY101 Learning Outcomes!

See Instructor Choice Week for ideas and resources.

BU COMMUNITY

After successful completion of the Final Week of FY101, students will be able to:

• Recognize that making connections leads to a sense of belonging and overall college success
• Make personal connections with other students and staff in FY101

Final Week Outline:

• Take time to complete Letters to Myself during class or assign to do outside of class time
  • Letter to Myself Guidelines here (your Peer Mentor should have envelopes for your class)
  • If you haven’t already, show Letter to Myself Video before they write their letters
• Review learning through (optional ways to wrap up and jog their memories for the end of semester feedback survey):
  • • Jeopardy Labs: Make your own jeopardy game for some in-class fun and learning
    • 1 Second Everyday: A fun app that stitches the moments of your life into a single continuous chronological movie (based on their submissions or your own from class)
    • Syllabus review with class participation reviewing what they did each week
    • Kahoot: Create a fun kahoot quiz that reviews some of the learning outcomes or activities that you completed in class or random info about each student. 
    • Meme Reflection– Have each student share two memes- one to represent who they were at the beginning of the semester and one to represent who they are now. They can screen share and discuss or you can compile them in advance and share on Google Slides in class.

• Consider having Instructor and Peer Mentor give tips for finals
• Let your students know how you can keep in touch moving forward– can they ask you for recommendation letters? What types of things can they text the Peer Mentor about in the future?

Last FY101 class slides here (include images and QR codes for the following announcements)

• Encourage them to register for FY102- Intro to Career Development for Spring 2026. They register on MyBUStudent under CAS FY102- there are six different topics. Learn more here.
• Encourage them to APPLY to serve as FY101 Peer Mentors next year! Applications open here and due: 
• Encourage them to attend MIDNIGHT BREAKFAST on the last day of class- [insert info here]
• REQUIRED: Administer End of Semester FY101 Feedback Survey During Class. Link TBD (remind them of your section number and the Instructor First and Last name so they can choose your class from the dropdown)

After the last class:

• FY101 Grades- Instructors submit grades on MyBUStudent. Find “Grade Roster” on the left hand side and follow this guide. Choose “P” for everyone unless you have checked in with Simon about an “F”. Submit within a week of your last day of class.
• Feedback for Peer Mentor & FY101. Instructors submit here by Monday, December 16.
• Feedback for Instructor & FY101. Peer Mentors submit here by Monday, December 16.
• Letters to Myself– Return to CAS Office of Student Programs & Leadership, Room 423 at 100 Bay State Rd, before winter break!

• FY101 vetted icebreakers and engagement tools
• Padlet: This is a virtual tool for everyone to share words or images on the same screen. You can make a “board” and ask students a question such as “How are you feeling about midterms?” “How are things going with your roommate?”, etc and they can respond via images/gifs/words and then share out. Great for in person or virtual classes.
• Kahoot!: Create your own multiple-choice quizzes to use in class. 
• Wordle: Creates a visual collage of words. Can copy and paste text or upload documents
• Poll Everywhere: A free website that allows for real-time polling/surveys.
• Photo A Day Assignment: An adaptable tech-savvy assignment that encourages students to be more aware and appreciative of their new environment.

 

• Class Outline Example a helpful tool for planning weekly Peer Mentor & Instructor roles in the classroom via Google docs
• Class Roster– Look up your class roster in MyBU Student via these instructions (written) or these video instructions
• Attendance Roster– An example of how you can track attendance throughout the semester
• Grading Roster- At the end of the semester submit grades (P/F) for all students in MyBU Student following these instructions 
• Concur Reimbursements Guide/ Concur Direct Deposit Instructions
• FY101 Attendance Decision Tree– How to respond when your students miss class (hint: e-mail them early and often!)