First Year Inside Puget Sound

FYI@pugetsound.edu

This is the Sound of confidence in college. This is First Year Inside Puget Sound.

First Year Inside (FYI) Puget Sound is a program designed to make your transition from high school to college as smooth and successful as possible. Invited first-year Puget Sound students arrive ten days before the rest of the first-year student body to learn what to expect from college life and more. You’ll also earn tuition-free academic credit!

During your time in the FYI program, you will:

  • Move in to your residence hall early
  • Make connections with fellow first-year students like you
  • Connect with the campus resources and learn your way around
  • Meet your upper-class student leaders
  • Learn what to expect from college classes
  • Meet some of your professors
  • Find your go-to study spots
  • Taste your way through the food on campus to find your favorites
  • Explore the city of Tacoma with classmates
FYI
Where the “I” stands for inside knowledge and so much more: insightful | innovative | inquiring | inspirational

2026 FYI Theme Abstract: Global Citizenship and Local Leadership

What does global citizenship have to do with local leadership? The ideals of global citizenship and civic interdependence are made real through an integrated worldview that bridges social, ethical, and environmental responsibilities. Most people have the greatest leverage in the communities where they live and work. FYI provides an excellent opportunity for our incoming students to explore and think critically about how each of us can contribute to building strong, healthy, and resilient campuses, communities, and countries. It encourages students to examine the interconnectedness of environmental sustainability and ethical leadership in shaping a better world.

PROGRAM DATES: AUGUST 10, 2026 - AUGUST 20, 2026

FYI participants will move into their permanent residence halls on Monday August 10, with program activities beginning on August 11.

If you are an FYI participant, please check your @pugetsound email regularly for updates on the program.

2026 Program Schedule
Sample Schedule

Note: Session times and topics are subject to change (TBA). Please refer to updated communications for any adjustments.

  • 8:30-11:30 a.m. | Check-in and move-in time
  • 12:30-1:30 p.m. | Welcome Lunch for students and families
  • 1:45-3 p.m. | Information Session for Parents/Families Only
  • 3:15-5 p.m. | Campus Resource Tour
  • 5:30-6:30 p.m. | Dinner
  • 7-8:30 p.m. | Icebreaker & Social Activity
  • 7-8:45 a.m. | Breakfast
  • 9-9:50 a.m. | Campus Tour with assigned student leader
  • 10-11 a.m. | Overview of FYI Goals and Schedule
  • 11:15 a.m.-12:30 p.m. | Study Skills & Time Management Workshop
  • 12:30-1:30 p.m. | Lunch
  • 1:45-3 p.m. | Academic Advising & Course Registration Session
  • 3:15-5 p.m. | Introduction to College Writing
  • 5:30-6:30 p.m. | Dinner
  • 7-8:30 p.m. | Evening Social Activity
  • 7-8:30 a.m. | Breakfast
  • 8:30-9:50 a.m. | Session: Prof. Sam Kigar "Religion in the Age of Climate Change"
  • 10-11:20 a.m. | Session: Prof. Peter Hodum "Exploring Urban Biodiversity"
  • 11:30-12:30 p.m. | Lunch
  • 1-2:30 p.m. | Research & Library Resources Session
  • 3-4:30 p.m. | Leadership & Community Engagement Workshop
  • 5:30-6:30 p.m. | Dinner
  • 7-8:30 p.m. | Game Night
  • 7-7:45 a.m. | Breakfast
  • 8-11:20 a.m. | Critical Reasoning & Academic Success Workshop
  • 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. | Lunch
  • 1-3 p.m. | Personal Growth & Goal-Setting Seminar
  • 3:30-5 p.m. | Student Panel: Advice from Upper-Level Students
  • 5:30-6:30 p.m. | Dinner
  • 7-8:30 p.m. | Movie Night
  • 7-7:45 a.m. | Breakfast
  • 8:30-9:50 a.m. | Critical Reasoning/Oral and Written Communication
  • 10-11:20 a.m. | Critical Reasoning/Oral and Written Communication
  • 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. | College Success Resources and Tools
  • 12:30-1:30 p.m. | Lunch and Break
  • 1:30-2:50 p.m. | Transitioning to College
  • 3:30-5:30 p.m. | Building Activities and Getting to Know the Campus and Local Community - Outdoor Games
  • 5:30-6:30 p.m. | Dinner
  • 7-9 p.m. | Building Activities and Getting to Know the Campus and Local Community - Movie Night
  • 8-10:30 a.m. | Breakfast and Free Time
  • 10:30 a.m.-noon | Explore Proctor’s Farmers Market and District
  • Noon-4 p.m. | Lunch and Free Time
  • 4-6 p.m. | Owen Beach, Point Defiance Park, Ruston Waterfront, Dune Park
  • 6:30-7:30 p.m. | Dinner - Pizza Night
  • Rest of evening off
  • 8-10:30 a.m. | Breakfast and Free Time
  • 10:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. | Yoga and Tai-Chi Sessions
  • 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. | Lunch and Free Time
  • 3-5 p.m. | Pickleball and Basketball Tournament - Jefferson Park
  • 5-6:30 p.m. | Free Time and Dinner
  • Evening | Outdoor Move Night (optional)
  • 7-8:30 a.m. | Breakfast
  • 8:30-9:50 a.m. | Quantitative Reasoning
  • 10-11:20 a.m. | Critical Reasoning/Oral and Written Communication
  • 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. | College Success Resources and Tools - Foundations for Sexual Health and Well-Being - Counseling, Health & Wellness
  • 12:30-1:30 p.m. | Lunch and Break
  • 1:30-2:30 p.m. | College Success Resources and Tools - Spiritual, Religious, and Reflective Life - with Dave Wright, University Chaplain
  • 2:30-3 p.m. | Meetings with Student Leaders
  • 3-5:30 p.m. | Free Time: Relaxation and Fitness: Homework, Activities with Assigned Student Leader Group
  • 5:30-6:30 p.m. | Dinner
  • Free Night - No mandatory cohort activities
  • 7-8:30 a.m. | Breakfast
  • 8:30-9:50 a.m. | Managing Your Transition to College
  • 10-11:20 a.m. | Information Literacy & Using Library Resources
  • 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. | Lunch
  • 1-2:30 p.m. | Understanding College Finances & Scholarships
  • 3-5 p.m. | Stress Management & Mental Wellness
  • 5:30-6:30 p.m. | Dinner
  • 7-8:30 p.m. | Evening Reflection Activity
  • 7-8:30 a.m. | Breakfast
  • 8:30-9:50 a.m. | Getting Involved and Developing Networks & Leadership
  • 10-11:20 a.m. | Conflict Resolution & Effective Communication
  • 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. | Lunch
  • 1-3 p.m. | Career Exploration & Internship Opportunities
  • 3:30-5 p.m. | Resume & Cover Letter Workshop
  • 5:30-6:30 p.m. | Dinner
  • 7-8:30 p.m. | Cultural Night
  • 7-9:50 a.m. | Breakfast and Free Time
  • 10-11:20 a.m. | Session: Prof. Alison Paradise "Critical Thinking in Everyday Life"
  • 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. | Lunch
  • 1:30-2:50 p.m. | Jeopardy Activity
  • 3-4:30 p.m. | Program Wrap-up & Reflections
  • 5:30-6:30 p.m. | Farewell Dinner
  • 7-8:30 p.m. | Closing Celebration
Students relax in Diversions Cafe
Students in First Year Inside Puget Sound will:
  • Get a head start on what it feels like to be a student at the University of Puget Sound. Academically they will engage with Puget Sound curriculum from current faculty by taking a high impact short course for credit. They will meet and connect with their peers both in the classroom and outside of it. 
  • Get acclimated to campus. They will know where everything is, they will spend time in classrooms, eat at the dining hall, shop at the bookstore, grab coffee at Diversions, study on the lawn, not get lost in the library stacks, visit faculty offices, and the various resource offices across campus. 
  • Settle into their residential hall communities. Make their room feel like home.
  • Be led by experienced students who will be your main point of contact outside the classroom.
Three women smiling and posing in front of a crafts market
At the end of this program, students will:
  • Understand the values and principles of the liberal arts model of higher education through interdisciplinary and co-curricular coursework.
  • Become acquainted and comfortable with the level of academic engagement at Puget Sound through short courses led by current faculty from across the curriculum.
  • Identify potential challenges in transitioning to college and learn coping strategies to manage these challenges for a successful launch into their first year of college.
  • Identify the various resources available to support their academic goals and life on campus.
  • Familiarize themselves with campus and Tacoma as they become a part of these communities and build their smaller communities within.

We are confident that this program will be a valuable asset as you embark on your college experience, and we welcome any questions you may have. Prior to reaching out, please check the FAQs for more information.