First-Year Experience
Welcome to Your First Year at UNC Asheville
Starting college is one of the biggest transitions of your life, and you don’t have to navigate it alone. First Year Experience at UNC Asheville is a coordinated set of programs designed to help you connect, grow, and find your place as a Bulldog. From peer-led mentorship to small seminar classes, campus traditions, and our Quality Enhancement Plan, we’ve built your first year experience all around belonging.
The Experience | Our Programs
IGNITE: First-Year Experience
A peer-led cohort program that helps new students find their spark. Led by upperclassmen Peer Advising Leaders (PALs), IGNITE builds connection, confidence, and community from your very first day on campus.
First-Year Seminars
Small, topic-driven courses where first-year students explore a subject they're genuinely curious about, while also learning how to be a college student. IGNITE sessions are embedded directly into every FYS section.
EmBark Orientation
EmBark Orientation is your introduction to life at UNC Asheville. It’s a time to get settled, connect with other students, and learn about the campus resources that will support your success. Our team will help answer your questions and make sure you feel prepared for your first semester.
Events & Traditions
UNC Asheville's traditions mark the milestones of your college experience — from the moment you move in to the day you walk across the stage. Many of these events are especially meaningful in your first year, when they become the foundation of your Bulldog identity.
Quality Enhancement Plan
Quality Enhancement Plan
IGNITE is UNC Asheville’s Quality Enhancement Plan — a SACSCOC-required institutional commitment to student success. It reflects our data-driven, campus-wide investment in first-year student retention and belonging.
Know Your Campus
Know Your Campus
Get to know UNC Asheville beyond the classroom. The adventure is yours to make.
First-Year Seminars
First-Year Seminars
First-Year Seminars (FYS 178) are small, topic-driven courses required for all incoming first-year students. Each section explores a unique subject chosen by the faculty member — giving you a real introduction to college-level inquiry — while also covering the nuts and bolts of academic life at UNC Asheville: using the Writing Center, understanding advising, and what it means to learn in a liberal arts environment.
IGNITE sessions are embedded into every FYS section, with your PAL visiting every other week throughout the fall semester. Your FYS instructor, PAL, and academic advisor form the core of your support network during your first year.
ⓘ Registering for your seminar: Incoming students choose their First-Year Seminar during advising and registration. Your seminar also determines your IGNITE cohort and PAL. See the full seminar listing or contact your admissions counselor for help selecting a section.
Weeks of Welcome
Weeks of Welcome
Weeks of Welcome (WOW) is an ongoing series of events for new and returning students during the first two weeks of class each fall and spring semester. Students who participate in these events find connections to others, learn about our campus traditions, and gain a sense of pride in the UNC Asheville community. From information sessions to social events, our WOW programs aim to ensure that every student at UNC Asheville feels supported on their academic journey.
First-Year Student Advising
First-Year Student Advising
Knowing how to build your schedule is part of feeling confident in your first year. The Office of Academic Advising pairs every incoming student with a dedicated advisor who helps you choose courses that fit your interests and keeps you on track toward your degree. College is a new experience, and we’re here to help you navigate.