UNM’s Alumni Association and Parent Association are partnering to host “Summer Sendoffs” Saturday, Aug. 1, in six New Mexico cities and towns and at one location in Colorado.

Designed to celebrate freshman acceptance to UNM for the fall semester, Summer Sendoffs will be held in Las Cruces, Roswell, Clovis, Farmington, Santa Fe, Gallup and Colorado Springs.

New UNM students and parents will have an opportunity to meet families in their area and mingle with experienced UNM representatives, alumni, parents and students who can serve as a support network back home and on campus. Each student receives a gift. Door prizes and refreshments are also part of the festivities.

Registration by Monday, July 27, is required for the free event. To RSVP and for more information on the event time and location, visit http://www.unmalumni.com/. (more…)

Lobo Orientation is a mandatory two‐day program for all freshmen students, including transfer freshmen with 26 or fewer credits. Incoming fall 2009 freshmen can sign up for Lobo Orientation beginning March 31. It is recommended that students register for the earliest orientation session that they can attend.

We encourage the family members of students attending Lobo Orientation to participate in the Family Connection Program, which runs concurrently with each orientation session and is designed for parents, grandparents, guardians, and other family of incoming freshmen. 100% of last year’s parent participants recommended the program to other parents. (more…)

Since 2001, UNM’s University College has offered the Living & Learning Communities (LLC) to the freshman class.

Each LLC consists of 18 students living in apartment style residence halls. The groups also share an interest in a specific academic area and attend some classes together. Living in this type of atmosphere provides academic and social opportunities to better help students succeed.

“In the LLC, I met people with the same interests as me, people who wanted to study business
and share ideas. By living every day together in the same apartment, we have created friendships for life,” said Esteban Raul Jirón Vaca, a student from the 2007 Business & Management LLC.

LLC focus areas are the Fine Arts, Engineering, Business Management, Architecture and Planning, Humanities and Liberal Arts, Health Sciences, International Studies and Careers, and Biology Studies. (more…)

Freshman Family Day is a UNM tradition welcoming incoming students and their families to the college community and held the afternoon before the start of fall classes.

The event is Sunday, Aug. 24, and is three‐fold. It kicks off at 4 p.m. with a Freshman Convocation in Popejoy Hall, followed by a social celebration and class crawl at the UNM Duck Pond, and a movie at sunset on Johnson Field.

Incoming freshman and their families are introduced to administrators, faculty and staff. Students learn that they are about to embark on an academic adventure designed to prepare them for a rewarding life.

The event also demonstrates that the university partners with the family to ensure student success and that UNM values family and does not seek to separate students from familial, cultural and communal roots.

Freshman Convocation is a ceremonial event held at most colleges and universities. The ceremony, usually a combination of the serious and the light‐hearted, provides an opportunity for the administration, current students and Parent Association president to address families. Be sure to stop by the parent table to meet members of the association and learn how you can become actively involved with the campus.

For more information and to register, visit Freshman Family Day, an event sponsored by the Office of the University Secretary.

For incoming fall 2008 students and families, it’s time to pick an orientation session date that will work best for you.

Students are invited to participate in Lobo Orientation.

Families, including parents, guardians, grandparents and mentors, are welcomed through the Family Connection program. Visit each site for a preview of scheduled events.

Ensure the dates you select are available by having your student reserve your spaces as soon as possible. The online reservation system opened April 1.

Decide if you want to choose the Tag Team option and have your student select it when they reserve a space for your family.

Freshman Family Day is a UNM custom designed to welcome incoming students and their families to the college community.

The event, held Sunday, Aug. 24 at 4 p.m., a day prior to the start of fall classes, has three main components: Freshman Convocation, a social celebration at the UNM Duck Pond and the showing of a movie at sunset on Johnson Field.

Incoming freshman and their families are introduced to the president, administrators, faculty and staff. UNM wants incoming students to know that they are about to enter a new phase in their lives, an academic adventure, to prepare them to lead a rewarding life. The event also serves to demonstrate that the university will from day one partner with the family to ensure student success and that the university values family and does not seek to separate students from familial, cultural and communal roots.

Freshman Convocation is a ceremonial event held at most colleges and universities in America today. The ceremony, usually a combination of the serious and the light‐hearted, recognizes student and faculty achievement, and provides an opportunity for the president, provost and current students to address the new class.

Following the convocation, families are invited to the UNM Duck Pond for food, music, games, a class crawl and the opportunity to speak with faculty, administrators, fellow students and families. President David J. and Mrs. Janet Schmidly will host festivities at nearby University House.

For more information and to register, visit Freshman Family Day, sponsored by the Office of the University Secretary.

UNM’s College Enrichment Program (CEP) coordinates the most comprehensive new student orientation program at UNM. Participants spend three days and two nights on campus.

Students participate in valuable life skills workshops that will help prepare them for life on their own. During their stay, students learn about campus resources and tour UNM’s libraries, athletic facilities, fine arts and other venues.

Finally, students receive academic advising so that they can register for classes to best suit their needs and goals. CEP offers more individualized attention because it limits participation to approximately fifty students per session.

To participate, students must be admitted to UNM and should fulfill at least one of the following criteria:

- First generation to college (parents/guardian have not earned a Bachelor’s degree)
- Member of an under‐represented group
- TRIO participant (Upward Bound, Educational Opportunity Center, CAMP)
- Meet income guidelines (described in the application)
- Prior participation in CEP by a family member
- Special Admission student
- Have an ACT score (or SAT equivalent) of 16 or below 

Any student who feels they can benefit from participating in the program can register for an orientation session even if specific admissions criteria are not met. Contact a CEP advisors for more details, 277‑5321.

An academic advisor in UNM’s University College should become a new student’s best friend, says Vanessa Harris, advisement director. Advisors help students in registering for the correct courses, assist in exploring interests that could become a major and provide referrals to additional student services.

If a student is required to take Introductory Studies (IS) course(s) they should register for those during their first and second semesters, Harris says.

“We strongly recommend that your student be registered for at least 15 hours,” she adds. “Students must earn a 2.5 GPA to receive the NM lottery scholarship at the end of the fall semester.”

Other general tips to help make your student more successful at UNM, include:

+ Check out the academic calendar at the Registrar’s Office for key dates and deadlines.
+ Take advantage of free tutoring and skill‐building workshops through CAPS (located on the 3^rd floor of Zimmerman Library).
+ Get to know professors early in the semester. Go to faculty office hours with questions and concerns, as early and often as possible.
+ Learn the locations of computer pods. Computers may crash at the worst possible moment so always back up your work on a jump drive.
+ Get a copy of the UNM shuttle bus schedule. Take a trial run to see how long it takes to get to a specific destination.
+ Get to know your roommates. Establish ground rules and open lines of communication.

The University of New Mexico welcomes to campus incoming freshmen and their families during Freshman Family Day, Sunday, Aug. 19, at 4 p.m. 

The event kicks off the 2007 – 08 academic year, providing students and parents with an opportunity to meet faculty, administrators and fellow students. Freshmen participate in a class crawl and receive free tee‐shirts.

Activities for all ages include a picnic with live music, parent information table, slam poets, Brazilian martial artists, Jazz quartet, kids’ double slide and jumper. An original Batmobile will be on display.

Due to renovation work in Popejoy Hall, in lieu of a formal convocation, festivities will be held at the UNM duck pond and at University House, where President David J. Schmidly will welcome attendees.

“UNM expects to partner with families from freshman day through graduation day. I look forward to meeting our talented incoming class on the eve of my first academic year as president. It’s a significant time for the university, students, parents and for me, personally,” Schmidly said.

Incoming students are asked to visit the Family Freshman Day Web site to register to participate by Thursday, Aug. 16. Check the site for parking and other event‐related information.

Incoming students come to UNM with enthusiasm, high hopes and the will to succeed, but the environment of the university is vastly different from that of high school. Quickly connecting students to instructors and peers — and engaging them with the surrounding community — helps students better adapt.

For the past seven years incoming freshmen at UNM having been succeeding in greater numbers by joining small academic communities known as Freshman Academic Choices.

FAC offerings include:

- Freshman Learning Communities (FLCs). FLCs offer students a team‐taught, collaborative learning experience in which 23 or 25 freshmen enroll in two courses integrated around a theme. Students will explore ideas in depth in an intimate seminar environment.

Freshman Interest Groups (FIGs). The 25 freshmen enrolling in a FIG take two or three classes together. The heart of the concept is a two‐credit seminar where students discuss their common courses and concerns. In Fall 2007 UNM is introducing one‐credit stand‐alone FIGs that focus on essential skills and strategies.

- Living & Learning Communities (LLCs). 18 – 20 freshmen attend common classes, explore their interests in special seminars, and live together in the Student Residence Center (SRC) and Redondo Village Apartments (RVA). Important: Students must apply to the program early; the deadline is July 18.

Introductory Studies (IS). UNM is dedicated to providing access to higher education for as many New Mexicans as possible — including students whose ACT or SAT scores are low. Our IS program helps freshmen build skills they need so they can get the most out of their coursework and realize their academic potential. Many FLCs, FIGs, and LLCs are open to IS students. There are IS courses for English, Reading, and Mathematics.

University Honors Program (UHP). In addition to our FLCs, LLCs, and FIGs, many freshmen may also qualify for the UHP.

Freshmen are also invited to participate in the Research Service Learning Program (RSLP) — originally established in Fall 2006 for sophomores, juniors and seniors, the RSLP has opened up to freshmen. RSLP will get students out of the classroom and into the community where they will investigate issues and solve problems identified by members of the community. They also learn valuable research skills, provide needed services, and grow intellectually, personally, and socially.