Fall of 2004 marked the beginning of a new endeavor for the Office of Residence Life. Focusing on the large majority of sophomores in the building, the Second Year at Emory Program (SYE) was piloted in the Woodruff Residential Center. In its first semester of programming, hundreds of second-year students from within Woodruff and from upperclass buildings across campus came to participate in SYE events. These programs offered a wide variety of opportunities for education related to academics, careers, and personal growth.

Throughout the fall semester, SYE provided students with the tools they need to be successful at Emory. Students were offered expert advice from Emory College academic advisors. Additionally, students enjoyed a wide range of social events including a Welcome Back Barbeque to kick off the semester and a Class Pin Ceremony at the end of the semester. Faculty came to Woodruff for dinners with the students, while seniors from the College and the Business School came to inspire the sophomores with their wisdom. In total, twenty-five programs were offered in SYE over the course of the semester.

The events during the fall of 2004 have helped shape our vision and our plan for the future of SYE. Following the success of the programs, SYE has now expanded to two dedicated residence halls (Woodruff & Clifton Tower) and more than a thousand students. As the program continues to grow, we hope to attract hundreds more students to participate in SYE events from across the Emory campus.

In its current year, SYE offers many of its original programs: the Welcome Back Barbeque, Sophomore Pinning Ceremony, and faculty dinners. The academic advising component has expanded to include a bi-weekly coffee hour with the live-in academic advisor. In addition, SYE now offers SYE Kickoff, which is a series of programs at the beginning of the fall. This series is intended to prepare the students for their second year. It includes programs on topics such as internships, study abroad, community service, getting involved, and many other topics.

What does the future hold for SYE? We will continue to find innovative ways to meet the needs of second year students. During the fall of 2008 the SYE committee identified learning outcomes for the program. This discussion led to new ideas for programs and a framework for assessment. Over the next year SYE will develop a process to identify the needs and interests of second year students, program around these needs, and then assess the effectiveness of these programs.