UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Starting in summer 2026, the College of Arts and Architecture will offer a new first-year seminar (FYS) open to all University Park students intended to develop the skills and self-awareness needed to thrive during the transition to college.
The three-credit seminar, AA 1 - The Art of Starting: Creativity, Connection and College Life, which fulfills both FYS and Arts General Education credits, aligns with the college’s 2026–30 strategic plan, which has a goal to expand A&A’s role in General Education to invite all students to explore creativity.
The new course is not discipline-specific and is aligned with Penn State’s goals for FYS courses, including introducing students to university study, the responsibilities of being part of a university community, and Penn State learning tools and resources, as well as helping them develop relationships with full-time faculty and other students. It emphasizes building self-reflective habits by exploring individual intentions for college study and how those intentions will guide students in the future, in academics and in life.
The course was developed by Folayemi Wilson, associate dean for access and equity; Darrin Thornton, associate dean for academic affairs and undergraduate education; and Sita Frederick, director of the Center for the Performing Arts. Jacob Holster, coordinator of the College of Arts and Architecture’s Center for Pedagogy in Arts and Design and assistant teaching professor of music education, is managing the faculty for the course and will train the instructors in collaboration with the course development team.
The new course was piloted during academic years 2023–24 and 2024–25 as a one-semester course offering and under an approved course number AA 1 - First-Year Seminar Via Integrative Arts for academic year 2025–26 (official name change in progress).
In post-course surveys, students reported that they learned how to practice self-reflection, successfully collaborate with others, cultivate leadership ability, advocate for self, and be an accountable and engaged community member.
“I realized I need to be more outgoing and not care what people think … I am still growing,” said one student.
According to the course development team, providing the framework for students to achieve self-actualization during their education is the end goal of the course.
“This course responds to both Faculty Senate goals and objectives and research on best practice in student success that supports an orientational first-year experience as a key component to student retention and persistence to graduation,” said Thornton. “Both students and faculty have reported loving the experience of exploration and growth embedded within the course design.”
In fall 2026, the course will also be offered as a residential web-based course for the first time. Course activities will require students to engage with spaces, places and people throughout the University Park community.
AA 1 will be taught by full-time faculty in the College of Arts and Architecture and offered as follows:
Summer 2026 (LEAP)
- Section 001 – 25 seats
Fall 2026
-
Section 001 – 25 seats
-
Section 003 – 30 seats
-
Section 004 – 25 seats
-
Section 005 – WEB – 35 seats