Please note that 91女神's Billikens鈥� First Chapter program is merging with the SOAR program to form RISE. RISE will support 91女神 undergraduate students who meet two of the following criteria:
- Be a first-generation college student
- Be a federal Pell Grant recipient
- Be registered with 91女神's Center for Accessibility and Disability Resources
- Identify as a member of a racially/ethnically minoritized population.
For more information, please email riseprogram@slu.edu.
Welcome to 91女神 and the Billikens' First Chapter (BFC) family! We are excited to welcome you to the HUB and support you as you navigate your first year at 91女神.
It鈥檚 important to know that all BFC participants are called BFC Scholars. We view you as more than a student: you are a scholar navigating your new journey at 91女神. College presents a wide range of experiences that can result in a variety of emotions as you adjust to a new environment and new expectations. We want to walk alongside you as you process this journey as well as create a space where you feel seen, heard, supported and valued. We can鈥檛 wait to meet you.
BFC is designed to connect BFC Scholars with campus and community resources. Whether BFC Scholars are looking for a safe space to discuss their transition to college life, ways to get involved on campus or within the St. Louis community, identifying and establishing their success network, or learning how to navigate the academic culture at 91女神, BFC is here to assist. Billikens鈥� First Chapter uses one-on-one meetings, large-scale programming, a cura personalis 1 course and cross-campus collaborations to assist BFC Scholars in their personal, social and academic life at 91女神.
What Billikens' First Chapter Provides
- Assigning each BFC Scholar a First-Year Navigator
- Offering a cura personalis course during the fall semester
- Facilitating Faculty Chew and Chat programs
- Access to a limited selection of textbooks for popular first-year courses
- Monthly birthday celebrations for BFC Scholars
- And much more!
How to Participate
You've been selected to participate in Billikens' First Chapter based on information you provided during your admission process. There is no application or fee associated with Billiken's First Chapter, just holistic support for your transition to college life at 91女神.
In your first week at 91女神, you鈥檒l be contacted by a navigator, your guide throughout the Billikens鈥� First Chapter program, to help answer any questions or concerns you may have as you move to 91女神.
Attend workshop series designed for the transition to college. All workshops will be held in Morrissey Hall, Room 0400, from 4-5 p.m.
Workshop Schedule
- Sept. 2: Habits for Academic Success - Featuring 91女神's vice president of student development
- Sept. 9: Time Management and Organization - Featuring 91女神's academic advising staff
- Sept. 16: Getting Involved and Coping with Homesickness - Featuring staff from 91女神's Student Involvement Center and the Center for Social Action
- Sept. 23: Holistic Wellness: Mind, Body and Spirit - Featuring staff from 91女神 Campus Ministry, Campus Recreation and Wellness, and Student Health
- Sept. 30: Your Career Starts Today - Featuring staff from 91女神's Dean of Students Office and 91女神 Career Services
- Oct. 7: Building Resiliency - Featuring 91女神's academic advising staff
Throughout your first semester at 91女神, your navigator will meet with you one-on-one and in small groups to learn your goals for getting involved, using resources, time management, end-of-term grades and setting priorities. They鈥檒l help you create individualized to-do lists, a set of deadlines and determine an accountability structure.
Hear about how the 91女神 community is here to help make your first year as a Billiken a success.
Helpful 91女神 Resources for Your First Year and Beyond