The First Year Center

Are you a first-year student who needs help, but you aren’t sure where to start?  Then come to the First Year Center!

The First Year Center, in Androscoggin Hall, is a go-to place for any first-year student who needs any kind of assistance.  Whether you have a personal problem, an academic problem, or just need someone to talk to, that’s what we’re here for!

Some of the specific things that we can help you with include:

• Academic assistance if you aren’t doing well in your classes and aren’t sure what kind of help you need, or what kind of help is offered
• Trouble-shooting assistance; if you have a problem with your account, financial aid, immunizations, or something else and you aren’t sure who to talk to or how to get the problem solved
• You want to get connected on campus, but you aren’t sure what options you have; whether you’re looking for a club or organization, a job on or off campus, or just ways to meet new people
• You have a specific problem or need and you aren’t sure how to get the help that you need, or you need someone to advocate on your behalf
• Someone to talk to about: classes, your major, wanting to change paths or schools, your roommate, your parents, or anything else

In addition to providing one-on-one support to first-year students as mentioned above, we also work with the rest of the Residence Life staff, Campus Activities, New Student Programs and other campus offices to support first-year students in other ways.

• We work with other campus offices to offer a great Fall Welcome Weekend full of events, to help students learn about campus and to start making friends.
• We work with the rest of the Residence Life staff to run the “RUMBLE on the HILL”, a six-week competition between the first-year residence halls.  This is six weeks packed with great events and programs that are open to all students.  And each building competes to win some SWAG and a Halloween party!
• We provide a lot of communication- via email, posters and other reminders to first-year students- about important upcoming dates and deadlines, including housing sign-ups, class registration, add/drop periods, financial aid deadlines, etc.
• We offer general advising for students who do not yet have a major, minor, career path, etc.
• We offer general advising about academic issues and concerns (finding your advisor, contacting your academic department, deciding to transfer, financial aid, etc.).
• And we partner with other offices to provide special resources to first-year students throughout the year, including free tutoring and other academic support sessions!

The First Year Center
016 Androscoggin Hall
The University of Maine
Orono, ME 04469
Phone: (207) 581 – 1420
Fax: (207) 581 – 4255

Summer Office Hours
During the summer we will generally be available from 9am-5pm Monday-Friday.

First Year Parent and Family Email List

To join our first-year parent and family e-mail list, please send an email to kelly.beers@umit.maine.edu with “Add to email list” in the subject line.  Our e-newsletter goes out about every two weeks, and includes information about important deadlines (class registration, FAFSA, housing registration), important things that are happening around campus, and we also include upcoming events that parents and families are invited to (Friends and Family Weekend, Homecoming, etc.).