Our Saints love First-Year Seminar. FYS teaches our first-year Saints how to be college students, and does so in a way that is unique to our Franciscan heritage. Students learn important skills that carry over to each and every course they will take at Siena. They learn to:

  • Read critically
  • Engage with a text
  • Articulate an informed position on big question
  • Write clearly and persuasively
  • Voice an opinion in a classroom conversation
  • Make connections between and among the readings they are doing

Get to Know Us

Each First-Year Seminar course has a unique theme—from pop culture and music to geek chic and incarceration—you're guaranteed to find a course you'll love. 

Individualized Attention

In order to meet the goals of the seminar, class size is limited to 19 students.  Classes are structured along a “learning community” model, where careful reading, class conversation, using writing as a way of learning, and thesis driven argumentative essays are valued. 

Dr. Britt Haas & Dr. Michelle Liptak

First Year Seminar Co-Directors

Siena Hall 421