CDS’s DS109: Building Community and Confidence for Students
What does it take to help first-year students feel confident, connected, and ready to succeed in college—and in data science? At Boston University’s Faculty of Computing & Data Sciences (CDS), the answer is DS109: Data Science First-Year Seminar.
“DS109 was designed to extend orientation throughout the first semester—students need more than a week to adapt,” said Molly-Kate MacLeod, Director of Student Experience. “This course gives them a built-in support system and tools they’ll use well beyond their first year.”
Created as an evolution of BU’s FY101 seminar and developed by the CDS Advising team, Colleen Kenney, Laykn Bright, and Elizabeth Carter, with support from Micah Sieber, CDS Assistant Provost of Graduate and Academic Programs, DS109 has quickly become a cornerstone of the CDS student experience. Now entering its second year, the course blends academics, advising, life skills, and community-building into a holistic first-year foundation.
“DS109 has been an amazing opportunity to make new friends and learn more about the opportunities presented to data science students,” said Mia Morgan (CDS‘29). “Signing up for the course is one of the best decisions I have made so far!”
That early sense of belonging is intentional. The one-credit course is tailored to the needs of data science students. Blending faculty presentations, an introduction to BU Spark!, peer mentorship, and personal finance training with guidance on thriving in a fast-moving field, DS109 extends far beyond the classroom.
One of DS 109’s signature lessons, "The Data Science of Personal Finance," is a student favorite. Led by Sieber, the sessions cover budgeting, taxes, investing, Roth IRAs, and strategies to avoid common financial pitfalls after graduation.
“Students light up when they realize how much agency they have over their financial future,” Sieber said. “It’s about building confidence—financially, academically, and personally.”
Amanda Eng (CDS'28), who served as a DS109 summer mentor last spring and summer, says the experience was equally valuable for her. “I found it very rewarding to help incoming students and make their transition to college easier,” said Eng. "I've really enjoyed the community I have found at CDS, and making connections with new students as a mentor was a great way for me to help extend that community to incoming freshmen."
MacLeod emphasizes that DS109 is part of a broader effort to integrate academic, co-curricular, and career development opportunities across the student journey. “Our goal is to create a seamless student experience—from day one through graduation—where students feel supported, seen, and prepared to lead in data science,” she said.
“Our goal is to create a seamless student experience—from day one through graduation—where students feel supported, seen, and prepared to lead in data science.”
—Molly-Kate Macleod, Director of Student Experience, Faculty of Computing & Data Sciences
Each student in DS109 also fulfills their mandatory advising requirement through the course, creating space for more holistic conversations about goals, curriculum planning, and support systems.
“The advising team developed DS 109 to create stronger connections with each incoming cohort and ensure students feel supported from their very first days at Boston University,” said Kenney. “While focused on academic success, the course also encourages engagement in the BU and CDS communities and provides space to explore mindfulness, stress relief, and students’ own values and identities.”
Mentors and mentees had their first chance to connect at the DS109 welcome reception, followed by the lively CDS Game Night—an early opportunity to build community and ease the transition into college life.
“DS109 gives students an academic foundation and a sense of belonging, while the mentorship program extends that support well beyond the classroom,” said MacLeod.“ Together, they create a powerful framework for students to feel connected, confident, and ready to thrive at CDS.”
