Find your purpose and your community not only for the next four years, but for the rest of your life. FYE is the first step in your Sewanee journey.

FYE Components

II.
Explore

Get out of the classroom and into the areas in and around Sewanee for activities that fit your interests. Explore the Domain's 13,000 acres, serve your community, tap into your creative side, enhance your athletic skills, and more—the choice is yours.

I.
Encounter

An academic course that examines a complex challenge or topic from interdisciplinary perspectives. Beginning with a pre-semester immersion to allow you to form strong connections with your classmates and professor, the course finishes before the Thanksgiving break—meaning you'll have one less final exam to take in December.

III.
Embark

A one-credit course designed to help you navigate your Sewanee experience, gain a sense of belonging as you build a network of relationships and connections, and understand the resources and opportunities available to support your success. You will  gain helpful skills and discover how to make the most of your Sewanee educational experience.

WHAT IS FYE?

Sewanee’s First Year Experience (FYE) is a multi-dimensional jump start to your Sewanee experience. Connect with new friends, faculty, and staff in small groups with activities and academics chosen to fit you as an individual. FYE introduces you to the Domain (our 13,000 acre campus), college life, interdisciplinary study, and the many people who make Sewanee special. Starting in 2026, ALL new first-year students will participate in ALL parts of FYE!

HOW IS FYE STRUCTURED?

FYE includes three exciting components: Sewanee Explore, Sewanee Encounter, and Sewanee Embark. You get to experience ALL THREE of those dimensions in your first semester and get an early start on finding community, transitioning to college, building relationships, and exploring all that Sewanee has to offer.

Contact Us

Have questions about FYE, or want to learn more about the program? Contact us at sewaneefye@sewanee.edu.

Sewanee Explore

Explore the Possibilities

The purpose of the Sewanee Explore program is just that—to give you the chance to explore the wide range of activities and opportunities that Sewanee has to offer, and to help you to make even more connections to students, faculty, and staff all around campus. Some Explore tracks will be linked to a specific Sewanee Encounter course, to facilitate deeper engagement with the topic. Other courses will not have an Explore link, meaning you can choose from an exciting menu of co-curricular and extracurricular activities. Recruited fall season varsity student-athletes (men's & women's cross country, field hockey, football, men's & women's soccer, and volleyball) participating in the FYE program will have athletics as their Explore track. Check out the list of Explore opportunities!

Sewanee Encounter

Immersive Learning

The professors teaching Sewanee Encounter courses represent an interdisciplinary collection of leading Sewanee faculty. They bring their own unique perspectives to big questions of vital importance in today’s world. When you register for FYE, you'll rank your top choices from the list of available courses—all of which count toward Sewanee's general education requirement.

A typical semester schedule for a Sewanee student consists of four, four-credit courses. Sewanee Encounter will be one of the four courses on your first semester schedule, and you'll earn four credits toward graduation when you complete it. After a two-day, pre-semester immersion experience, your Sewanee Encounter course will meet weekly until the Thanksgiving Break.

Sewanee Embark

Find Your Path

You will be registered for the one-credit Sewanee Embark course that meets once a week throughout your first semester. Taught by faculty and staff, this course will help you navigate your transition to college and chart your course for the future. An older student will attend your weekly Embark class to provide mentorship and guidance alongside the instructor who will be a faculty or staff member. Both of these individuals will add to your team of support as you begin to write your new chapter at Sewanee.

Your first semester at a glance ...

Date Activity
Thursday, Aug. 20
  • Arrive on campus and move into your residence hall room (Note: fall season varsity athletic teams have earlier arrival and move-in dates; if you are a fall season athlete, see your coach for your team’s move-in date.)
  • Sewanee Embark and Explore begin
Friday, Aug. 21
  • Sewanee Explore continues
Saturday, Aug. 22

  • Beginning of the pre-semester immersion experience for your Sewanee Encounter course

  • Sewanee Explore concludes
Sunday, Aug. 23
  • Sewanee Encounter continues
Monday, Aug. 24
  • Sewanee Encounter continues
  • Receive an introduction to key campus resources and opportunities
Tuesday, Aug. 25
  • Join the rest of your classmates for a class photo, sign the Honor Code, and attend the Activities Fair
Wednesday, Aug. 26
  • First day of classes
  • Sewanee Embark and Encounter courses will start meeting weekly
By Friday, Nov. 20
  • Sewanee Embark course concludes
  • Sewanee Encounter course culminates in a student-led project to be shared with the community—and you finish your first four-credit course at Sewanee!