My First Year Story

In this episode, we dive into the questions every freshman has but might not know where to ask! From finding the right clubs to join, figuring out the best ways to get involved on campus, to deciding when to take your classes, we've got all the tips you need to make decisions. Plus, we'll walk you through the realities of finals week—what to expect and how to survive it. Whether you're nervous or excited about your first year, this episode will give you the advice you need to succeed!

Join us for a debrief of our spring break adventures, upcoming summer plans, and all the excitement of March Madness. Get ready for a fun and relaxed conversation as we share stories, discuss travel ideas, and relive the highlights of the basketball season!

In this podcast episode, we cover how we like to spend our free time with discussing our favorite movies and TV shows of all time and what makes them our absolute favs. As well as, talking about UConn events like UConnic and also a bit about our Spring Break plans coming up!

Join the MFYS Podcast as they invite UConn Seniors, Yumnah Fatimah and Taas Kahn, to reflect on their final year, sharing their post-graduation plans and offering advice for freshmen. Hear about their emotions, aspirations, and challenges as they prepare to transition into the next phase of their lives and how they have navigated UConn for the last 4 years.        

Happy Midterm Season! Join us in this episode as we talk about some of our favorite places to study on UConn Storrs's campus, as well as how we are managing our stress during this time! Additionally, we discuss practical advice for financing your college life, including budgeting tips and resources for scholarships and financial aid. Finally, as summer approaches, internships are also a focus! Hear from a senior on her way to the work force, as well as other students as they start planning for what's ahead!

The Spring 2024 Semester has officially begun and we are here to debrief the start of our year. Spring semester classes, HuskyThon, UConn Basketball, spring break plans, and seasonal depression are all topics we highlight in this episode!

Introducing... our first round table discussion with the new team! The Fall 2023 Semester has officially ended (congrats first year students, you made it!!) and we are here to debrief. Managing stress, clubs, finding your community at UConn - listen to all the details in this episode. 

Our lovely guest host Lexi Silva interviews UConn Dance Company in this episode. Listen to advice from seniors and enjoy this promo of the dance company!

Welcome back Huskies! We are kicking off this season with Q&A content from UConn Bound Day 2023. Prospective students ask and answer all of the questions. Curious about greek life on campus? Interested in learning more about student orgs? We chat about the details of it all. Take a listen to learn more about navigating student life at UConn. 

In this next episode of season three, the My First Year Story Podcast welcomes Madeline Kizer, who is the founder of The Swap Shop and Kizer Collective. Located on UConn's campus, Madeline describes her story of how she got into fashion, the first ideas of a swap shop through a UConn program, and the struggles of establishing the store on campus. Even though she is amazed at how it all happened, she still wishes to see the store grow and continue to give space for the fashion and art-loving community on campus. Make sure to tune in so you don't miss out on Madeline's story!

How do we make space in our lives? How do we create space across campus and our communities, even when it's difficult? How do we make space for all our own passions? As Riley Scarritt completes her senior thesis, a magazine, she is giving space to the various musicians and bands across campus. She is allowing them to tell their stories and their passions while also participating in her own through graphics and this thesis. Tomaso and Riley in this episode discuss the vulnerability of art and music, as well as being a transfer student. They also talk about the music community, the unity of it all, and how we should be moving forward.   

We're back!!!! Welcome to season 3 of the My First Year Story podcast! This season we will explore the theme of creating spaces that are missing on campus that would enrich student experiences at UConn.  In this introduction episode Tomaso sits down with the exec board for the 2023-2024 academic year to introduce them and talk about their journey at UConn. Some of the members even share personal stories about creating their own spaces!

In this week's episode, Tomaso discusses anything and everything about studying abroad! Tomaso takes us through his experience from first considering going abroad to actually living and learning in another country! Before heading overseas, Tomaso worked with UConn Experiential Global Learning to find the best program for him. He is currently studying in the communication and graphic design program at the University of the Arts London in London, England! Tomaso felt intimidated by the size of the program compared to UConn's smaller art department. Tomaso has not let any worries get the best of him, sharing his exciting upcoming plans! Tomaso's main message is that if you want to go abroad: you should do it. 

My First Year Semester Abroad will be a mini-series special following our host, Tomaso, as he spends the semester abroad in London! This season we will learn about Tomaso's experience adjusting to new changes while exploring a new place. Follow along with us this season to hear about the ups and downs of college life: abroad.

Season two of My First Year Story concludes with special guests Dr. Linda Pelletier and Donna McNeil, both of whom discuss their roles within UConn's relatively new American Sign Language (ASL) program which began in 2020. As a current faculty member, coordinator, instructor and major advisor for the ASL program, Linda's knowledge and familiarity of ASL stems from being a CODA (child of deaf adults), having used ASL amongst family for all of her life. As a Molecular and Cell Biology (MCB) major, Donna initially intended to be an ASL minor. However, after experiencing the immersive nature of ASL classes taught by deaf professors, it was difficult to resist the opportunity once ASL was finally offered as a major. Donna is now a senior, double-majoring in MCB and ASL and also serves as president of UConn's ASL club. This week's episode features a conversation regarding our guests' undergraduate experiences and how ASL has made an impact upon their academic journeys. Here, we are able to see perspectives from both sides — what it's like to be familiar with deaf culture and to teach others about it, as well as the significance of learning it.

The My First Year Story podcast welcomes our special guest Avital Sutin, the President of UConn Hillel. Avital's authentic take on working smarter not harder has evolved with her through her leadership positions on campus, namely UConn Hillel. She discusses the value of connecting to and reflecting on her identity through the support she found in the Jewish community at UConn. This drives her to continue to be that resource for others as the leader of this identity-centered group. Avital also emphasizes the importance of self-care especially when being so busy whether it be going for a walk or stepping back from what she is doing for a couple of minutes to regroup. Taking a break to recharge allows her to give her best in everything she is involved with. Be sure to tune in to learn more about UConn Hillel and Avital's experience at UConn!

On this week's episode, Tomaso sits down with Kelly Kennedy, the Director of Transformative Learning, and two undergraduate TA's, Alexandra Stamboulis and Katelyn Desautels to discuss UConn's School of Business. With experience working in universities and in private companies, Kelly felt drawn back to the college setting help young professionals and ensure that students can bridge the gap between what they learn in their academics and how to apply those experiences to future careers. She wants students to take advantage of every opportunity and resource available to them. Alexandra and Katelyn, both seniors, feel as though they have experienced UConn at its fullest. Through their involvement in different clubs and organizations, they continue to build their networks of peers and professionals. Tune in to learn more about the School of Business at UConn and all that it has to offer. 

This week, the podcast welcomes Emma Rocheleau, the current President of Alpha Epsilon Phi, Alpha Xi Chapter (or AEPhi for short) to discuss her experiences with Greek Life at UConn.  Emma's life sounds truly changed for the better as she has grown into different leadership roles, first as Vice President of Risk Management and now as President. She talks about her own experiences rushing as well as recruiting. She also covers the hardships of running chapter meetings virtually, but describes how that experience made her more sure of herself and her decisions. If you are interested in learning more about Greek life or just hearing about Emma's story, make sure to not miss this episode!

In another installment of the major series, UConn alum Carlton Jones and graduate student Tamashi Hettiarachchi join as special guests to discuss their engagements with Neag, UConn's School of Education. As an alum, Carlton was already familiar with the ins and outs of UConn culture and community, where he first saw himself getting involved in higher education. His educational journey started at UConn, and still continues at UConn, as he now resides as an academic advisor in Neag. In this episode, Carlton goes into detail about his professional arc and how his undergraduate years helped shape him into his current position. Alongside Carlton, Tamashi elaborates on her experiences as a first-generation student, her motivation to pursue education, and her career goals post-graduation. She also describes the adversity she faced as a student teacher during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, having to form relationships with her students over Zoom rather than face-to-face. Together, Carlton and Tamashi offer their stories, plus advice for undergraduates seeking insight about the college journey and after.

With HuskyTHON quickly approaching, the My First Year Story Podcast welcomes Abbey Conrad, this year's Executive Director. Abbey walks Tomaso through the different aspects of HuskyTHON, from what it is to how to register (spoiler alert: anyone in the UConn community can register!) to the different levels of getting involved. She also goes into her journey in getting involved in HuskyTHON, which started freshman year in her sorority, and her “why she dances”. HuskyTHON is more than just a fundraiser, it is about strengthening the community and “dancing for those who can't”. If you are looking to learn more about HuskyTHON or just looking for a heartwarming story, then make sure to tune into this episode.

This week, the My First Year Story Podcast returns to the major series, welcoming Dr. Elizabeth Kline and Naydu Nunno from UConn's College of Liberal Arts & Sciences (CLAS) Biology Department and Molecular and Cell Biology (MCB) Department. Dr. Kline is a professor in both departments, teaching introductory biology courses along with higher-level MCB writing courses. Naydu, a pre-med student, facilitates Dr. Kline's BIO 1107 Supplemental Instruction (SI) and works in a research lab on campus. This episode covers themes of support, purpose, and taking your time, as our guests talk with Tomaso about pre-med culture, the struggles of graduate school, learning to focus on yourself, and so much more. Anyone, from first-year students starting off in a STEM field to those not sure about what to do after graduation can learn something from this episode.

For this week's episode of My First Year Story Podcast, we join Tomaso, not in the usual recording space, but at the Benton Museum of Art at UConn. This very special episode was recorded live during the First Thursday event and features four guests! We had individuals at the First Thursday event submit their college confession for our guests to react to. The first session welcomes Will Raccio and Nicole Mealha, two Academic Achievement Center (AAC) mentors. Listen to them react to different college confessions from anonymous students and then how they would navigate these situations. In the second session of this episode, Tomaso welcomes Cat Silva (UConn Women in Business President) and Jody Kung (LCEC President) for more reactions to college confessions. If you are wondering when to skip a class or how to balance social life and self-care, tune in to this special episode with amazing free-flowing dialogue!

On this week's episode of the Major Series, the My First Year Story Podcast welcomes Nick Delaney and Valerie Lee from the School of Engineering (SoE). Nick, while now promoted to a new position within the college, was an advisor. He has worked in the College of Fine Arts and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences before finding his place in the SoE. Throughout his time with engineering, he has found a unique community filled with diversity in mind and work styles. Valerie is a junior Mechanical Engineering major, who fell in love with engineering in middle school. She discusses her appreciation for all the SoE advisors who work so hard to support their students and be the best resource they can be. This episode is filled with a lot of love for the hard working advisors of the School of Engineering, so make sure not to miss out!   For more information about UConn's School of Engineering, visit https://www.engr.uconn.edu/

On this week's episode, Tomaso welcomes another student leader, Qianqian Chen, a previous First Year Experiences (FYE)  mentor and a current FYE TA. Being an international student from Wuhon, China, Qianqian has faced many challenges such as homesickness, the language barrier, and culture shock. However, through her experiences in the FYE program, she was able to find her place on campus. Now, she is giving back to the program, mentoring first year students and other FYE mentors. Qianqian stresses the importance of getting involved, especially for international students, and how the FYE program allowed her to explore campus. She also shares how much she cares for her mentees and wants to see them grow. If you are participating in the FYE program, are an international student, or interested in learning about both, make sure to tune in to this episode! 

This week, we are kicking off a new series with our host Tomaso: Every other episode this season will focus on a major or college at UConn. To kick off this series, we felt it was only right to have guests Micah Heumann & Ashley Gospodarczyk talk to us from ACES: the Academic Center for Exploratory Students. Ashley was once a transfer student with Micah as her mentor, connected through his class, “Making Major Decisions.” Both Micah and Ashley emphasize some important takeaways about college majors in general with nuggets of wisdom from their own experiences, breaking down the common misconception that students who enter college looking to explore are at a disadvantage or can't make up their minds. Be sure to tune in to listen to the ins and outs of the ACES program through a student and longtime Advisor perspective. Listener Note: Conversations in this episode mention Suicidal Ideation and the Holocaust.

The “My First Year Story Podcast” is back for season two, and we are starting the season off with UConn's Undergraduate Student Government (USG) President, Mason Holland. In this episode, listeners get the inside scoop on Mason's decision to come to UConn (and how he pivoted from his original plan of majoring in Business). He talks about his experience in ScHOLA²RS House, and the impact it had on his first year. As his discussion with Tomaso continues, Mason also touches upon his decision to run for USG President and how he selected his running mate- or rather how his VP candidate chose him! This episode has a strong theme in diversity and intersecting identities, as Mason encourages all voices and re-imagines relationships on campus. You don't want to miss this season-opening episode!

Season 2 of the My First Year Story Podcast is just around the corner!  Join returning host, Tomaso Scotti, as he continues his journey at the University of Connecticut. With a focus on highlighting the variety of academic majors offered by UConn, this season, Tomaso will be sitting down with professors, advisors, staff, and other student leaders as they share their insight into their respective fields and offer advice for navigating all that UConn has to offer.

Wherever you are in your life story, we hope you've enjoyed our Schooltime Survival Guide about living (or commuting), learning (in-person or virtually), and thriving at the University of Connecticut. This final episode is going to focus on how you can practice academic resilience and learn from challenges and mistakes you might make along the way. Make sure you check out our Season 1 episodes if you haven't already, and don't forget to stay tuned for Season 2 which is coming soon!!

As the start of the fall semester nears, we have a special surprise for our listeners this month: we'll be releasing one more episode, so make sure to come back for the final installment of the Guide! This episode of our summer Schooltime Survival Guide features tips from our staff about University life: from living in a residence hall with a roommate, to working as a student employee, to finding the best dining hall or local spot to eat. Tune in and take note as you make final preparations for the semester!

With the start of the semester being so close, we have a special surprise for you this month: We'll be releasing two more episodes before the semester begins, so make sure to come back next Thursday for another episode! In this fourth installment of our Schooltime Survival Guide, we wanted to focus on some of the ways you can maximize your UConn experience while navigating the complexities of such a large university.

This episode of our Schooltime Survival Guide is all about Storrs!! The UConn Storrs campus is the largest, most residential of our campuses, and we know that adapting to living and learning in rural Connecticut can be a huge adjustment for some students. This part of the Guide will give you a little glimpse into finding community and your sense of place among Horsebarn Hill, the Wilbur Cross Building, Gampel Pavilion, and everything in between. Tune in for tips on how to make Storrs your home away from home!

Welcome to our special advice episode of our summer Schooltime Survival Guide! In this part of the Guide, you will hear from our Season 1 guests as they impart wisdom upon our listeners. To hear more from these guests, make sure you check out all our full-length Season 1 episodes. We hope you enjoy!

With Season One of our My First Year Story Podcast complete, we are excited to introduce our summer BONUS series, the “Schooltime Survival Guide.”  Some of you, our listeners, have followed along as first year students yourselves without ever having stepped onto UConn's campus because of COVID-19. Others might just be discovering this podcast and are getting ready to start their own first year stories in the fall. Wherever you are in your own life story, join us this summer for some tailored content about living (or commuting), learning (in-person or virtually), and thriving at the University of Connecticut. Our Guide will give you tools for jumping in as a valuable part of UConn Nation come August. You'll hear from our host, Tomaso, our staff, and some of our past guests on a variety of topics we've compiled specifically to provide perspective about UConn, with all its quirks and opportunities. Our first installment in the Guide is a special reflection from the My First Year Story staff. In our last episode of Season 1, Tomaso spent time talking with Producers Casey and Hannah about his first year, but we wanted to flip the script completely for this first summer episode and allow you to hear from members of our staff about their experiences with this past school year. 

In this final episode of season one, our producers Casey and Hannah flip the script and put Tomaso in the hot seat, asking him to reflect on his unique and transformational first year experience at UConn. Tune in as Tomaso shares what he's learned from being the host of My First Year Story and how he intends to build on all he's experienced this year in his future endeavors. As the inaugural season of the My First Year Story Podcast comes to an end, we want to thank our guests, the student staff who worked tirelessly to make this season possible, and you, our listeners, who have joined us along the way. We are looking forward to releasing bonus content throughout the summer, and of course, season two is just around the corner.  Until then, in the words of our host, peace out Huskies!

In celebration of Mother's Day, we have a special treat for our listeners with two guests on this week's episode!  Tomaso sits down with mother/son duo and UConn alumni Judy and Justis Lopez. Judy currently works with the UConn Women's Center, while Justis is the CEO of his educational entertainment company Just Experience, LLC, and a consultant for the Council for Opportunity in Education. The discussion begins with Justis and Judy describing their transformational journeys with UConn, explaining the full circle feelings of helping and inspiring each other through their educational goals.  As the conversation shifts to their professional pathways, the positivity and enthusiasm both guests exude becomes even more evident as integral to how they approach the “firsts” they've experienced in life.  Tune in to learn more from this inspirational mother/son pair about the importance of relationships and resilience in achieving your dreams.

This episode features Sage Phillips, a junior Political Science and Human Rights major, who was recently named a Truman Scholar.  The Truman Scholarship is a tribute to the late 33rd President and public service with the goal of inspiring the next generation of public service leaders.  Listeners will quickly learn why Sage was selected for this premier graduate fellowship as they follow along with her conversation with Tomaso.  As the conversation begins, Sage shares her experience of being a member of the Penobscot Nation and growing up in Maine. Sage goes on to talk about the impact that her family and heritage continues to have on her and how they helped with her decision to come to UConn. Never losing her passion for advocating for the rights of Native American and Indigenous people, Sage discusses her involvement in the Native American Cultural Programs and how she became a member of the UConn President's Council on Race and Diversity, created the Native American & Indigenous Student Association, as well as how she became involved in the coalition for banning the use of Native American mascots in Connecticut. Tune in to learn more about Sage's inspirational journey, her activism for creating a more inclusive community for Native and Indigenous people and how she has become a public service leader. 

Joining Tomaso this week is Yiyi An, a first-year international student from China. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, UConn partnered with institutions around the world to offer international students ways to complete their coursework elsewhere while still connecting and engaging with other international students attending those schools. One such institution is the University of Nottingham Ningbo China (UNNC), which is where Yiyi studied for the fall 2020 semester. Now taking classes fully online through UConn, Yiyi talks about the challenge of being in a different time zone than her peers and professors while simultaneously enjoying the flexibility of online courses and the freedom to create her own schedule. Although still early in her Actuarial Science major, Yiyi is excited to begin searching for future internships and explore other ways to gain experience in the field, but most of all, she cannot wait to arrive on campus in person and experience all that UConn has to offer, particularly meeting new friends and visiting the Dairy Bar.

This episode welcomes Mrya Cerrato, a first generation college student double majoring in Psychology and Human Development and Family Studies. Myra shares her story of how she transferred from UMass Dartmouth to UConn Stamford, and then arrived at UConn Storrs in the spring 2020 semester. Now, as a junior, she participates in virtual clinical psychology research, collecting qualitative data from mothers with PTSD, through UConn's McNair Scholars Program. She gives valuable insight about McNair, explaining how it's not only a gateway to research, but also to graduate school and post-graduation life. Beyond academics, Mrya is involved with Jumpstart, which is an early childhood education program. While learning the best ways to engage young children, she is also gaining experience in her field that could lead to many outcomes, from social work to family policy and advocacy, to child psychology, or all of the above! Listen along as our host, Tomaso, sits down with Myra, getting curious about her story as a first generation student and how she plans to accomplish her goals within her areas of passion.

Colin Cleary, a Ph.D. candidate studying Physiology and Neurobiology at UConn, lets us in on the studying secrets he discovered as an undergraduate and explains that for him, different STEM classes required different approaches. During his first year at UConn, Colin developed a passion for science but wasn't sure about which direction to pursue. After completing coursework in Physiology & Neurobiology (PNB) and Molecular & Cell Biology (MCB) courses, he decided to declare his major in those areas. Beyond the classroom, Colin's passion for the medical field brought him to the UConn Medical Humanitarian Society where he and other club members organized a transformational and impactful trip to Guatemala. Join our host, Tomaso, as he sits down with Colin and learns more about how and why he developed such a strong passion for research and what advice he has for any student eager to explore research early on.

In this week's episode, Tomaso chats with the Operations Director of the Peter J. Werth Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at UConn, Kathy Rocha. Kathy talks about the nonlinear path from a major to career, using her Political Science major from Providence College as an example. Kathy had planned to enter the field of law, but upon graduation, she felt drawn to the business world, ultimately pursuing her MBA and a career in high tech, persisting proudly in a male-dominated field. Listen to this episode to hear how she found herself at UConn and working at the Werth Institute connecting students with opportunities to cultivate their own entrepreneurial mindsets. Kathy even shares one of many stories about a recent UConn student who was able to maximize the opportunities the University has to offer to create an intriguing venture, Levo International. Listen to learn more about what Kathy has to say about finding your path, exploring entrepreneurship, and connecting with the Werth Institute.

"Faculty should always be willing to challenge students but also not...overwhelm them," says Dr. Thomas Long, Professor in Residence for the UConn School of Nursing and Director of the Nursing Learning Community. With our host Tomaso, Dr. Long transports us back to his early years of college as he reminisces about difficulty in finding a parking space while Rod Stewart's “Maggie May” played on the radio. He also talks about how one of his own professors “shaped the trajectory of [his] thinking and teaching for the last 50 years.” Throughout the conversation, Tomaso and Dr. Long discuss the importance of connections while acknowledging the difficulties both faculty and students are experiencing in forming those connections in today's reality of so much remote working, learning, and teaching. Tune in and learn more about how “students and faculty are much more alike than they are dissimilar” and how faculty-student dynamics greatly impact student success.

Join Tomaso as he sits down with Damani Douglas, the first Chief Diversity Officer in UConn's Undergraduate Student Government history, to talk about his journey and involvement in student government. In this episode, Damani explains his beginnings as a member of the ScHOLA²RS Learning Community that inspired him to explore different leadership roles. Throughout the discussion, Damani reaffirms the “cliché that there really is a club or organization at UConn for everyone”, no matter what their passion is. The conversation then shifts to the importance of the new Chief Diversity Officer position in USG and how it came to fruition. Listen to learn more about satisfying your need for involvement in important dialogue and activism while on campus and beyond.

This episode features Associate Professor of Law at UConn, Jamelia Morgan. Through her education at Stanford University and Yale Law School, Professor Morgan gained expertise in criminal law, critical race theory, equality law, disability law and policy, prison law and policy, and policing. Professor Morgan talks about how she supported creating the 'U.S. Anti-Black Racism Course' at UConn alongside other faculty because of student demand for the course. Although she began her career as a paralegal, teaching was important for her to explore because she believes education is the key to changing structural racism which still exists today.  Our host Tomaso echoes how important it is to have conversations like theirs in university settings.

In this episode, Tomaso sits down with the Executive Director of UConn's Office of First Year Programs and Learning Communities, David Ouimette. David shares his own experiences as a first-year student at Gettysburg College, and as the conversation continues, listeners will hear about how David's strong passion for “student success from the start” helped to pave the way for the development of UConn's First Year Experience Program, Learning Communities, the Academic Achievement Center, and the LCIZ Makerspace. Under David's leadership, these innovative initiatives strive to provide holistic guidance, opportunities, and resources to enable students to actively engage and thrive at UConn.

On this episode, we sit down with published author, vlogger, and first-year UConn student Allison Determan. Tomaso talks with Allison about her book, "Goat on the Lam," and how the (soon to be famous) novel came to be. Tomaso and Allison also discuss how their shared first semester at UConn has differed from past years, how the past has an important impact on the future, and how learning experiences can inform future success, in whatever form it takes for each person. This episode calls to all students looking for motivation to blaze a new path during their first year of college and beyond.

In this episode, Tomaso sits down with UConn senior Destiny Cruz, an Allied Health Sciences major with a minor in Psychology. Through their discussion, we learn more about Destiny's first-year experience as a FirstGen student, and how her personal experiences informed her peer mentoring philosophy in her roles as an FYE mentor and Academic Achievement Center coach. This episode offers great perspective and insight about UConn's culture of support for every student.

On this inaugural episode of My First Year Story, the 16th president of the University of Connecticut, Thomas C. Katsouleas, walks our listeners through his first year as a student at UCLA “way back in the day”. Tomaso and President Katsouleas bond over their shared love for the “small things” at UConn and delve into the close-knit, unique community that is UConn Nation.

My First Year Story will follow the journey of Tomaso Scotti, a first-year student at UConn and the host of this podcast, as he has insightful conversations with members of UConn Nation about their first years of college.  Witty and engaging, this podcast will provide a snapshot of what it is like to be a first-year student at UConn and how we are connected by the shared experience of going to college, learning, growing, and making mistakes along the way.