Student Engagement

Our students and professors find many ways to connect with one another, including:

PALs Mentoring Program
The PALs (Personal Achievement Liaisons) mentoring program pairs faculty or staff members with incoming undergraduate students (freshmen or transfers) to help students get off to a fast start.

Living-Learning Communities
Provide incoming freshmen an opportunity to live and take classes with others who share their interests.  Students participate with faculty and current UAlbany students in and outside of the classroom.

Freshman Seminars (UFSP 100)
Discipline-based, 1-credit seminars for incoming freshmen from some of our best professors.

Explore UAlbany
Held during Great Dane Beginnings Opening weekend, incoming students attend lectures on cutting edge topics and get to meet faculty before classes start.

Food for Thought
A program that encourages students and professors to dine together in residence dining halls.

CHEER Fund
Supporting faculty and staff Creating Highly Engaging Educational Resources for their students.

UA-UKnow Website
Helps incoming students understand the academic expectations at UAlbany through e-mails and our "UA-UKnow:What you really need to know!" website.

UAlbany Academic Traditions
Candlelighting, our opening convocation where the flame of knowledge is lit, and Torch Night, where seniors pass that flame on to underclassmen are academic traditions all UAlbany students remember.

Clubs and Groups
Faculty and staff act as advisors to student clubs and groups, offering expertise, support, and guidance.