Carroll Community College

Starting in the fall, Carroll Community College is offering a new opportunity for first year students - First Year Interest Groups (FIGs). 

FIGs allow students to enroll in a set of three transferable courses in four career themes:  Business, Elementary Education, Health Careers and Criminal Justice.

Its cohort like structure helps to ease students into college life and provide a stronger connection to learning. The experience naturally promotes student relationships to form as they interact with the same students in all three classes. Students receive collaborative instruction from faculty working together to provide more cohesive learning opportunities.

According to Michele Lenhart, director of Co-Curricular and First Year Programs, students working in the same classes with one another often make connections more easily. "There are opportunities for them to work on projects, engage in class discussions, and form study groups. The relationships formed in these classes often provide valuable support systems," said Lenhart.

FIGs also fosters collaboration opportunities among instructors. Instructors benefit from networking with one another to plan service learning opportunities, trips and guest speakers.

Plus, they can provide more interconnected learning experiences and avoid conflicting deadlines by planning their coursework based on the coursework of other instructors. "For example, an instructor may avoid planning a project deadline that overlaps with another instructor's assigned exam," said Lenhart.

Instructors are better able to provide applicable experiences based on career theme. Students enrolled in the Health Career theme may learn how specific measurements are used in nursing from their math instructor and what parts of the anatomy a physical therapist works with from their science instructor.

FIG career themes are among the top four programs students choose to study, and the classes are some of the most popular the college offers. Alone, many of these classes fill quickly.

As a FIG, students have a better chance of starting these classes during their first semester because the classes are set-up for block registration where students must simultaneously register for all three classes.

FIG students may round out their schedule with other courses related to their major with guidance from Carroll's advisors and catalog.

Students looking to join a FIG should speak with an academic advisor for specific requirements. For more information, contact the Admissions and Advising Office at 410-386-8435.