Learning at Augustana is not simply an invitation for you to acquire knowledge, but to improve lives and communities. This perspective is central to Augustana's mission, core values, and motto. Faculty and staff aspire for you to participate in rigorous learning and engagement during your time at AU so you leave ready to serve the world -- in all of your diverse roles, be it as family members, employees, or citizens.
With this objective in mind, Augustana engages you in inward reflection and outward engagement in FYS 112 to identify the ways you will live out Augustana’s motto of service. Augustana also states in its Educational Outcomes that all students will participate in integrative, experiential learning. To that end, FYS 112 students explore together possible ways to engage in credit-bearing vocational service during their future time at AU.
Community is also a central value and way of life at Augustana. To serve others effectively, we must understand their needs. Informed by this ethos, students examine topics related to diversity, equity, and inclusion together with their classmates in FYS 112.
Finally, all Augustana students engage in academic advising and educational planning. Instead of expecting you to seek information on your own in preparation for these conversations, FYS 112 instructors introduce you to peer mentors, faculty, alumni, and working professionals in your academic areas of interest so you can gather first-hand information about possible pathways. These award-winning plenaries bring your vocational options to life. From alumni to faculty advisors, classmates, and career planning specialists, the people you meet along the way also serve as a supportive network to help you succeed.