1. First Year Experience Seminar
FYEX 100-Section #19
Tuesday (T) from 11:00am-11:50am
Instructor: Megan Heutmaker
Office: Centennial Student Union (CSU) 269 – Multicultural Center
Phone: 507-389-5230
E-mail: megan.heutmaker@mnsu.edu
Office Hours: By appointment only – email or call to schedule
Course Goals:
To promote further development of student success skills, such as reading, writing and speaking; help
students gain intellectual confidence; build in the expectation of academic success; and to provide
assistance in making the transition to the University.
Student Learning Outcomes:
a) Experience higher personal expectations of his/her ability to meaningfully participate in academic
life;
b) Define and give examples of critical thinking;
c) Interact with other students regarding academic matters;
d) Affirm that careful thinking is an important aspect of the educational process;
e) Make a comfortable transition to college life.
Required Text:
Common Read chosen book – 2015 title: The Good Food Revolution by Will Allen
Required Materials:
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) test – an additional $20 course fee accompanies this course and
covers the cost of one of these assessments in partnership with the Career Development Center.
Attendance:
Class attendance is mandatory and will be taken at each class session. Attendance contributes to 10%
of your final grade. Please email me in advance of late arrivals or absences.
Participation:
The seminar class is designed to be experiential, and learning will occur through in-class activities and
discussions. Students are expected to fully participate in all class discussions and activities. All assigned
reading material will need to be completed before each class meeting. Class participation will
contribute to 10% of a student’s final grade.
Students with Disabilities:
Every attempt will be made to accommodate qualified students with disabilities. If you are a student
with a documented disability, please see me as early in the semester as possible to discuss necessary
accommodations and/or contact the Disability Services Office at (507) 389-2825 (v) or 1-800-627-3529
(MRS/TTY). All documents are available in alternative format. Contact the Disability Service Office if an
alternative format is required.

2. Assignments:
All assignments are due at the beginning of class. Late assignments will not be accepted. All
assignments are expected to be neat, typed, and double spaced with 1-inch margins.
1) Weekly Journal
a. Due by 10am every Tuesday in D2l Dropbox
b. Keep a weekly journal based your personal experiences, reflection of in-class and out-of-
class experiences, and assigned topics. See schedule for topic assignments. Each journal
entry must be at least 500 words.
2) Critical Thinking
a. What this means: “Analytical thinking – commonly known as critical thinking – involves
analyzing and evaluating information, often in order to work through a problem or
decision… Analytical thinking is required to solve problems and to judge the quality of
ideas” (Carter, Bishop & Kravits, 2009, p. 9).
b. Due on
c. Connect with book “The Good Food Revolution”
3) Campus Involvement
a. You are required to attend 4 campus activities out of class. These can include theatre
productions, student involvement activities, multicultural events & activities, guest
speakers, music department events, and athletic events. If students have questions
regarding other activities, please ask instructor for approval.
b. Please complete a one-page reflection paper at the conclusion of each activity you
attended.
c. Each reflection paper should address the following questions:
i. Rationale for attending event. Why did you choose this specific event?
ii. Did attendance to the event assist with transition to Minnesota State Mankato?
Why or why not?
iii. Would this be an event to attend again in the future? Why or Why not?
4) Library Orientation
a. As a class we will go to the library and participate in the Amazing Race assignment
provided by the librarian staff. Must be present in class to receive credit for this
assignement.
5) Meeting with Academic Advisor
a. During the weeks of October 20th through November 10th, you will need to make an
appointment with your assigned academic advisor. and will write a summary and
reflection. Option #1a) reflection is the topic for the weekly journal reflection.
For each option, be sure to address the following points:
 Description of their experience, including both positive and constructive reactions will be
provided.
 Students will discuss class choices and rationale for their choice of schedule.
 Discuss decision regarding major. What resources are employed to aid with decision-making?

3.  Explore the admission requirements for the major(s) and minor(s) fitting interests.
 Find out if there are any special requirements/pre-requisites courses required to be admitted to
a specific major or minor.
Competencies addressed? a, c, & e
This assignment uniquely blends an opportunity for exploration of a major and minor within an area of
interest, as well as illustrating a possible career path, thus providing meaning and purpose to the
academic experience.
Optional Group Assignment
Assign small groups to present on campus resources. This could be in lieu of the “Class Choice” topics
on the Schedule (p. 6). Campus Resources could be assigned by the instructor or chosen by the class.
Final Reflection
Option #1) Students will reflect on the semester as a whole by developing this 5-page paper, and
answering the following questions:
 Discuss your personal involvement with the Minnesota State Mankato campus
community. Talk about your level of involvement, and which activities you attended. Did
attending campus events encourage involvement?
 What specifically assisted with your transition to Minnesota State Mankato? What
services or assistance could Minnesota State have provided that would have made your
transition easier?
 How will critical thinking be applied to your academic experience at Minnesota State?
 What are your academic and personal goals for spring semester? For the second year?
What assistance do you need to achieve those goals?
Option #2) This is your chance to take a risk and summarize what you did during your first semester at
Minnesota State Mankato! Choose a medium or format that fits your style and/or skills to tell the rest
of the class about your experience here in your first semester. You will have approximately 3 minutes
to present in front of the class using:
 Video
 Poster
 Portfolio
 Song
 Poem
 Speech
 Etc.
Be creative! Please let me know if you have any special media needs for your presentation.
Option #3) Project yourself into the future 15-20 years. Imagine that you have successfully graduated
from college (or whatever other training is needed for your career). The principal from your high
school has invited you back to your hometown to speak to seniors at the graduation ceremony. Your
speech should address the following points:
o How you got to where you are today/what you feel has made you a success
o What has motivated you (mission)
o Why you chose the particular career you did (what steps did you take?)
o Any situations or struggles that were difficult to overcome

4. o Your greatest personal successes and moments
o Where you will go from here (future goals)
o Offer any words of encouragement or inspiration that you have to offer these high
school graduates.
Your speech should be 3-5 minutes long. Feel free to use visual aids.
Competencies addressed? a, b, d, & e
This is an assignment designed to bring together all the class components in a comprehensive
reflection piece.
Grading:
All course work will be graded on content, neatness, and timeliness. Students should submit only their
best work, and should be reminded to take time to proofread and correct papers ahead of submission.
Each assignment will be worth the following points:
 Attendance 50 points (10 pts deducted per absence, up to 50
pts)
 Weekly journal 125 points
 Involvement reaction papers 25 points per paper (total 75 points)
 Library assignment 25 points
 Critical thinking paper 100 points
 Advising reflection paper 50 points
 Optional Group Presentation 25 points
 Final reflection paper 100 points
Grades will be based on the following point scale:
A = 90-100% 495-550 points
B = 80-89% 440-494 points
C = 70-79% 385-439 points
D = 60-69% 330-384 points
F = below 60% 329 or fewer points
Academic Honesty:
“All students have a responsibility to maintain the academic integrity of the university and each
student must at all times keep in mind that his or her behavior reflects not only upon him/herself, but
upon other students, upon the faculty and upon the university as a whole. Each and every student is
responsible for becoming familiar with and abiding by the University policy on plagiarismand academic
honesty as well as the guidelines and policies established by their instructors and programs of study.
Examples of violations include but are not limited to: plagiarism(such as using another’s phrasing,
concepts, or line of reasoning as your own); submitting course assignments that are not your own;
submitting the same paper in different classes without prior approval from both instructors; cheating
on assignments, laboratory reports, or examinations; acquiring or using test materials without faculty
knowledge; failure to follow class policy; obtaining academic benefits through inappropriate
application of technology; computer fraud or unauthorized access; engaging in academic fraud alone
or with others; downloading material from the internet without proper citation; illicit attempts to

5. influence grading; failing to abide by test-taking procedures; signing the class attendance roster for an
absent student” (Basic Stuff Handbook, http://www.mnsu.edu/students/basicstuff/policies.html).
Plagiarism-Submission of an academic assignment as one’s own work, which includes critical ideas or
written narrative that are taken from another author without proper citation. This does not apply only
to direct quotes, but also to critical ideas that are paraphrased by the student.
Schedule:
Week 1: Introduction to class – FYEX 100 Pre-test Assessment
Week 2: Managing Your Time
Week 3: Being Engaged In Learning: Listening, Taking Notes, Participating in Class, and Critical
Reading Strategies
Week 4: Values and Goal Setting
Week 5: Strong Interest Inventory or Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) – (CDC Staff)
Week 6: Library Orientation Session
Meet in library.
Week 7: In-class Critical Thinking activity (if applicable) OR Class Choice (or Instructor choice
from appendix C)
Week 8: Relating to Others
Week 9: Class Choice (or instructor choice from appendix A)
Week 10: Class Choice (or instructor choice from appendix A)
Week 11: Registration, General Education, & Everything Academic
Week 12: Money Management – using the Grad Ready Financial Tool
Week 13: Final Project Presentations, Small Group Presentations (if applicable) OR Class Choice
Week 14: Final Project Presentations, Small Group Presentations (if applicable) OR Class Choice
Week 15: Final Evaluation & FYEX 100 Post-test Assessment
Week 16: Finals Week – no FYEX 100 class

6. Appendix A
The Good Food Revolution and the First Year Seminar
Chris Corley and Ginny Walters
The Honors Program at Minnesota State Mankato
christopher.corley@mnsu.edu; giovanna.walters@mnsu.edu
The Officeof New Student and Family Programs recommends that FYEX instructors includetheCommon Read in their FYEX
100 classes.This year’s text is Will Allen’s TheGood Food Revolution. Powerful themes of food access,poverty, and race are
woven into Allen’s autobiography.As always,this year’s Common Read addresses importantissues of comingof age,
citizenship and service,and intercultural understanding.
I. Purchase and read the book over the summer in light of FYEX Course Goals and Learning Outcomes
o Think of yourself as the students’ first model of what it means to be an educated, critical thinker, member
of a university community, and citizen for first-year students.
1. Goals:To promote further development of student success skills, such as reading, writing, and
speaking; help students gain intellectual confidence; build in the expectation of academic success;
and to provide assistance in making the transition to the University.
2. Student LearningOutcomes:
a. Experience higher personal expectations of his/her ability to meaningfully participatein
academic life.
b. Define and give examples of critical thinking(“analyzingor evaluatinginformation… in order to
work through a problem or decision”).
c. Interact with other students regardingacademic matters.
d. Affirm that careful thinkingis an importantaspectof the educational process.
e. Make a comfortable transition to collegelife.
II. Prepare students to read (or re-read) the book
o Ask them to create a timeline of what they believe to be the most important events in Will Allen’s life.
How did his childhood and family life,for example, help to shapehis views of the world? This exercise
encourages students to read the firstfew chapters and allows somecommon ground instructors and
students can use to discussthebook.
o Ask students to find a professional reviewof The Good Food Revolution. Use the model of one found in
The Los Angeles Times, by Mary MacVean: http://articles.latimes.com/2012/jun/13/entertainment/la-et-
book-20120613
III. Link whole book, or even specific sections of it, to your recommended topics for the course and/or themes from
Keys to Success (if you use it).
o Example ideas:

7. 1. FirstWeeks of Semester
a. Transition to college
 Compare transition to MSU with Allen’s transition to the University of Miami;relate his
eventual success with the importance of persistencein one’s own life
b. Values,Goals,and Stress
 Allen encounters threats, racism,and the possibility of failure(several times) whileat
university.He faces obstacles whiletryingto land in the NBA. How do we maintain focus
on our own goals and values?
2. Academic Success in the University: Readingand Studying
a. General Education and the well-rounded student: link to advisingmeetings
 How would you describeAllen’s career path, and how did his lifeand education shape
it?
 Can you think of courses/subjects thatwill notbe your major focus of studi es,but that
might enhance your professional skills and self-awareness? Howwill they do so?
b. Research Resources: Link to library tour/reference page assignment
 Link tour to focused research agenda (i.e. not merely a general tour) where students
search for information related to the Great Migration of African Americans,or
information aboutpoverty and/or access to grocery stores in American cities .
c. Diversity Matters: Link to cultural diversity event/culture night.
 What is “culture”? What is your culture?
 How did Allen adapt to diverse geographic and cultural environments?
 Was Allen culturally competent? Why or why not?
 What does cultural competence mean in your own field of interest/prospective
profession? Why would itbe significant?
 Can you identify similarities and differences between your own cultural characteristics
and those demonstrated in a university culturenight?
IV. Link course syllabus and activities with Common Read-related events
o Examples:
1. Campus Involvement: All FYEX 100 students are encouraged to attend at least3 campus
activities/events.Here are some you can integrate into your course.
a. Erika Allen (Will Allen’s daughter) lecture (November 10th, CSU at 7:00).
b. Informal book group discussionshosted by honors students in October. All staff can invite
honors students to attend your FYEX classes to discuss thebook.
c. Many other activities,includingfaculty panels,trips to the Farmers’Market, and service
projects,are currently being organized for the Fall.Look to the Common Read website for
more information.
2. Service Project: Learning Community students arerequired to create/participatein a serviceproject
duringthe fall semester.
a. One could link the projectto several availableservices on behalf of food access for
Minnesotans.
Other Instructor Resources:
o Common Read Website: http://www.mnsu.edu/learningcommunities/commonread.html
o Growing Power: http://www.growingpower.org/about/
o C-Span Book Discussion:http://www.c-span.org/video/?306190-1/book-discussion-good-food-revolution

8. Appendix B
Journal Topics
What fears, anxieties, or concerns do you have about being a student at Minnesota State Mankato?
What resources to you need to help you work to overcome these fears, anxieties, or concerns? (Could
be done in conjunction with Fear in a Hat Activity.) What are you most excited about?
Visit the Greater Mankato Campus & Community Fair (includes Part-time Job Fair). What campus
resources or activities did you learn about? Do you plan to follow up on any of the contacts you made
or get involved in any of the activities or organizations?
Your college environment may feel much different than your home environment. What have you done
to start making Minnesota State Mankato feel like your “home away from home”?
Comment on your living situation. Whether you live on campus or off campus or are commuting from
home, talk about your experience so far. What has been going well? What challenges have you had?
How have you overcome those challenges?
Have you connected with possible new friends yet? If so, how have you found these new friends? If
not, what ideas to you have about meeting new people?
How are you spending your free time? Do you enjoy how you’re spending your time? Why or why not?
If not, what could make your free time more enjoyable?
Attend the Common Read visiting speaker, Erika Allen, the National Projects Director in Growing
Power’s Chicago office. Summarize and reflect on the presentation.
Write about your favorite and least favorite class. What do you like or dislike about them? Are classes
what you thought they would be like? How are classes here different than in high school?
Thinking back to when you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? How has this
evolved over time into your current major or areas of interest?
As we talked about in class, goal setting is very important. Please write your journal assignment about
your own personal goals. Specifically, discuss three short term goals (to be completed by the end of
this academic year) and three long term goals (to be completed within the next 4-5 years).
Additionally, please discuss things you can be currently doing in order to work towards accomplishing
these goals.
Have you gone home at all? What do you miss? What do you not miss?

9. By now, you’ve probably had your first exam in at least one class. How did that exam go? In what
ways did you feel prepared for the exam, and in what ways did the exam surprise you?
What were you involved with in high school? What similar activities could you do at Minnesota State
Mankato? If you don’t want to pursue similar activities, what activities ARE you interest in pursuing?
Please reflect on your family upbringing. What types of traditions do you have? What types of things
are unique to your family? What cultural traditions do you have? Now, since coming to college, what
ways have you noticed that your upbringing is different from others (for example: duck, duck, goose vs.
duck, duck, gray duck)?
Mid-Semester Check-up: please write about your overall experience so far this semester at Minnesota
State University, Mankato. How are you doing academically? Socially? Are you getting involved? How’s
your living situation?
Please write about three important aspects of your identity (e.g., being a man, daughter, boyfriend,
athlete, Christian, nephew, etc.). Additionally, please write about what makes these aspects to your
identity so important.
Please write about your experience at home over Thanksgiving break. Was it what you expected? Why
or why not? If you didn’t go home, what are you anticipating for your experience at home over winter
break?
At orientation, you decided to declare a particular major or to be undecided about your major. How
do you feel about your choice of major (or undecidedness) at this time?
Finals week is only a week and a half away! Please write about your current academic standing and
your upcoming finals. Where are you standing grade-wise in your classes? How important is it for you
to do really well on your finals? How many and what types of finals do you have? What are you doing
to prepare for your finals? How will you de-stress during finals week?

10. Appendix C
FYEX 100 Wild Card Topics
Please rate yourinterestinthe followingtopicsbynumberingyourtop6 choiceswith#1 beingyourhighest
interest. If a sub-topiclistedspecificallyinterestsyou,please circleit.
Money Management
General overview of money issues that college students face, including credit cards and your
credit score, balancing your budget, etc.
Campus Recreation
Presentation and tour focusing on Campus Recreation in general and highlights of the four
program areas: intramural sports, sport clubs, open recreation, and fitness activities. Campus
Recreation also discusses possible employment opportunities.
Choosing a Major
Many students are choosing or changing their major within the first year of college. Learn
about strategies for exploring your values, interests, and abilities and how they relate to
careers.
Alcohol Education and Decision Making
Health PROs will present facts and information about alcohol to help you make responsible
decisions about the use of alcohol.
Sexual Decision Making and STDs
Health PROs will present facts and information about contraceptives, safer sex, and sexually
transmitted diseases.
Healthy Eating
Have you heard of the Freshman 15? Is it fact or myth? Learn how to eat healthy whether
living in the Residence Halls or on your own.
Stress Management
Stress has a negative impact on academics performance. Health PROs will teach relaxation
techniques, visual imagery, and other stress-relieving tips.
Healthy Sleeping
What is the least amount of sleep a student can get and stay healthy? Health Pros will present
information on the importance of getting enough ZZZZZZs.
Safety Education and Crime Prevention

11. General campus safety information.
Violence Education and Sexual Consent
Presentations and workshops include: gender, safe social decision-making, sexual violence
education.
Student Leadership
Involvement opportunities and Service Learning.
InternationalPrograms Office
Information on Study Abroad opportunities and the National Student Exchange program.
Student Rights and Responsibilities
Presentations on student conduct process, academic dishonesty, etc.
Counseling Center
Learning about the services the Counseling Center provides.
Center for Academic Success
Learn about the resources in the Center for Academic Success, including tutoring and the
writing lab.
Greek 101
Learn about getting involved in Greek Life on campus.
Other suggestions not listed above: ______________________________
Please answer these questions:
1. As you continue for another semester here at Minnesota State Mankato, what is
your number one personal concern related to your adjustment to this new place?
2. What is your number one academic related concern?
3. Any other concerns you’d like me to generally address in this class this semester?