Belonging begins here: A look back at CFANS’ First Year Experiences
December 9, 2025
This fall, CFANS launched its first-ever First Year Experience (FYE) courses—an initiative designed to help incoming students feel connected, engaged, and set up for academic success. With all five pilot sections filling to capacity, and more faculty proposals than available slots, the enthusiasm across our community was clear from the start.
Over the course of the semester, that momentum only grew. Across the pilot courses, students rolled up their sleeves, asked big questions, and explored what it means to be part of CFANS. Through immersive, hands-on activities and reflective discussions, they discovered the people, places, and issues that shape our region—and their future roles within it.
From overnight field experiences to cultural learning and behind-the-scenes access, each course offered something distinct:
- A Spice for Life students traveled with Matt Clark to Frontier Co-op Herbs & Spices, gaining insight into global flavor, sustainable sourcing, and cooperative business models.
- Behind the Scenes at the Minnesota Zoo, Melissa Palmer’s students stepped into the daily work of animal care, from preparing diets to designing enrichment activities.
- Cultivating Minnesota, taught by Amy Smith and Mary Rogers, explored agricultural systems up close during a weekend trip based at the Cloquet Forestry Center.
- The Global Climate Challenge, led by Jessica Gutknecht and Julia Nerbonne, introduced students to community-driven climate efforts across the Twin Cities and demonstrated how people work together to address local challenges.
- In Ways of Knowing Science, Craig Hassel guided students through a traditional wild ricing camp at Lake Itasca—an opportunity to learn directly with and from the White Earth community.
Across all sections, students created connections—with each other, with faculty mentors, and with the broader CFANS community. They also began charting their academic and career paths with new confidence, better understanding their values, goals, and the resources available to support them.
The success of this pilot year highlights the strength of the CFANS approach: hands-on learning, real-world engagement, and small communities that help students thrive. We look forward to building on this momentum as we continue developing high-impact first-year experiences for future CFANS students.
