Initiative Four: First-Year Experience

Strategic Plan Initiative Four: First-Year Experience is dedicated to providing Curry's first-year students with an experience that will foster their growth through meaningful academic, co-curricular, and extra-curricular actions, with a focus on supporting self-discovery, community connections, and academic engagement. Through partnerships with faculty, staff, alumni, peers, and external thought leaders, our first-year experience will create the space for students to define how they will engage, learn, and thrive at Curry College. This initiative will deliver on our mission of student success and increase retention of first-year students by improving their first-year experience by leveraging Curry's reputation as a caring and supportive community.

Implementation Team

Erik Müürisepp, Vice President of Student Affairs
Bob Shea, Provost
Keith Robichaud, Vice President of Enrollment Management
Jim Keane, Associate Provost for Student Success and Retention
Marshall Lancey, Assistant Dean of Campus Life & Deputy Title IX Coordinator
Sarah Shane, Director of Advising & Academic Success & Special Assistant to the Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs
Kyle Nolan, Director of Admission Marketing
Mike Bosco, Associate Provost for Academic Administration
Lisa Rodrigues, Associate Vice President, Student Affairs
Jeannette Buntin, Assistant Vice President of Engagement and Diversity
Bridget Green, Associate Director, Residence Life
Pat Kelley, Director of Student Engagement
Sara Hannigan, Speech and Language Pathologist & SAIL Coordinator
Kathy Joyce, Director of Health Services
Maura Donovan, Director of Constituent and Alumni Engagement
Jennifer McNally, Mathematics Coordinator, Natural Sciences and Mathematics
Lindsay Illich, Coordinator and Professor, Writing Program
Jennifer Hart, Coordinator, First-Year Studies, Professor, General Education

Advisory Committee

Jennifer Balboni, Professor, Criminal Justice
Erica Humphrey, Associate Director of Advising & Academic Success
Pete Mendel, Assistant Athletic Director for Recruitment & Retention and Student-Athlete Leadership & Head Men’s Soccer Coach
Ryan Theroux, Professor, General Education
Marie Turner, Professor, Natural Sciences and Mathematics

Strategic Priorities Summary

• Continue faculty review of FYE academics (e.g., LAUNCH)
• Streamline/improve holistic student and family engagement efforts
• Expand advising and peer mentoring efforts to improve student persistence to and through the first two years at Curry
• Upgrade mental health support platforms 

Fiscal Year 2025 Key Action Items

• Increase First-Year Experience support staff (new program coordinator)
• Bolster and streamline advising capacity