Program Overview

This year’s First Year Matters program explores the challenges we face as asociety to embrace inclusive and diverse communities, with a focus on issues related to access. FYM:Access Matters is the theme of this year's First Year Matters program, Wesleyan’s answer to the “common reading” program instituted at many universities.  In FYM:Access Matters, first-year students are guided through a “common experience” program, designed to introduce them to the academic rigor and interdisciplinary thinking at Wesleyan while at the same time building a community of learners.  The program includes of an anthology of multi-disciplinary readings they will find available to students during the summer, presentations and residence hall discussions during Orientation, and the staging of a major participatory arts event that engages students in understanding the issue from an arts perspective.