California College of the Arts

Orientation: First-Year Students

This is it—you are officially in your first year of college!

And you can relax now knowing the First Year Program (FYP) will guide you in your classes and connect you to the many resources throughout the college. Now is a unique time; entering college life is about creating your individual path. And it also is an ideal time to make the connections that often last a lifetime. Your colleagues, faculty, and friends can become a part of your life-long network.

Take advantage of those faculty members who challenge you; sit next to the student who is creating art you admire; and take a moment to answer a fellow student's question. Such moments of human contact are real moments; they are unpredictable and you can learn from them.

Come visit the First Year Office. The FYP staff can answer general questions about your classes—Core Studio courses in particular—explain the add/drop process, review your portfolio for placement, and help acquaint you with the CCA faculty, staff, and the myriad available resources.

Many opportunities to become involved in the CCA community will occur during the 2008–09 academic year. Events, lectures, and course-relevant field trips and projects take place year-round. Watch for event announcements posted on the CCA website, as well as First Year Office–issued email communication. (Have you bookmarked the CCA home page yet? No time like the present.)

The upcoming New Student Exhibition allows students to show their work during Orientation Week (additional information is located in the New Student Orientation packet). Be sure to also read about Launch, a juried exhibition FYP organizes that takes place in February wherein students are encouraged to show their first-semester work.

Again, welcome to CCA. The FYP expects you will be open to the fun and challenges alike that are inherent in the first-year college experience. We hope that your outcomes will be unique and even more rewarding than you expect.

Sincerely,

KC Rosenberg, Chair

Susanne Cockrell, Assistant Chair

Katie Lewis, Program Manager


Launch showcases first-year student art

Important PDFs

Download the tentative First-Year Student Orientation Schedule

Download the First-Year Student Orientation Packet

On-Campus Housing

See Housing Information

Quick Links
Contacts

Contact information for FYP staff