New Student Experience Seminars

What are New Student Experience Seminars?

New Student Experience Seminars (NSESs) are offered fall, winter & spring quarters. Unlike FIGs, which are several courses grouped together, NSESs are stand-alone courses. Like FIGs, NSESs are smaller courses, which limit enrollment to 25 students.

NSESs are special topics courses or community-engaged learning experiences that change quarterly. They're often only 1 or 2 credits, which makes them easy to fit into your schedule on top of 3 or 4 other classes. And they're taught by faculty who love working with first year students and make up our core first year faculty team. So, you could take a NSES multiple quarters in a row and work with the same faculty member. Or you could take a NSES just once if you're looking for more connection and sense of community with everything else that's part of your schedule. Or you could take a FIG in the fall, then enroll in a NSES winter and/or spring. Often students who take FIGs together like continuing on as a group, and taking a NSES is a great way to stick with your community from the fall.

Academic Year 2024-25

Fall 2024

First Generation Pathways

Class: Seminar 201
CRN: 42646
Instructor: Lucas Senger
Time: R 3:00-4:50 PM

This seminar is designed to help first generation students explore and understand the critical areas of focus for academic and personal well-being. We will develop an understanding of practical student life and academic skills, from the basics to the tips and resources that are most critical to student success. Students will be linked with College, University and personal resource providers that can support the unique challenges that first-generation students face. Students will be introduced to the distinct areas of study and professional practices that business has to offer. In this seminar we will meet and network with professionals and alumni who were also first generation students themselves.

2 Credits

Financial Literacy 1: How to Build a Robust Financial Foundation - Fall 24(1)

Class: Seminar 201
CRN: 42647
Instructor: Lucas Senger
Time: R 1:00 PM - 2:50 PM

This seminar provides students with knowledge about essential financial concepts and practices. Students learn about resource management/budgeting, career planning, which is inclusive of employment basics, investing, and an understanding of what credit scores mean and how they are applicable to students' financial life. Students will be connected to personal resource providers in higher education who can further support them with common challenges that first-year students may experience. 

2 Credits

College & Creativity: Shaping Your Story w/ Flash Nonfiction

Class: Seminar 201
CRN: 42650
Instructor: Bryce Sasaki
Time: T 12:00 PM - 1:50 PM

Students in this seminar will explore creative writing and experiment with creative practices that will support them as they begin their college experience. With a special emphasis on short form nonfiction, we will analyze exemplary creative works, practice the fundamentals of writing craft, and engage in generative writing exercises and revision strategies. We will consider how creative writing relates to other genres of college writing. What does creative writing do—for writers, for readers, for the world as it is now, and as we imagine it could be? Students will produce a portfolio of creative work, participate in a community of writers, and in the process further develop their voice and perspective.

2 Credits

Financial Literacy 1: How to Build a Robust Financial Foundation - Fall 24(2)

Class: Seminar 201
CRN: 42894
Instructor: Lucas Senger
Time: F 11:00 AM - 12:50 PM

This seminar provides students with knowledge about essential financial concepts and practices. Students learn about resource management/budgeting, career planning, which is inclusive of employment basics, investing, and an understanding of what credit scores mean and how they are applicable to students' financial life. Students will be connected to personal resource providers in higher education who can further support them with common challenges that first-year students may experience. 

2 Credits

Financial Literacy 1: How to Build a Robust Financial Foundation - Fall24

Class: Seminar 201
CRN: 42895
Instructor: Lucas Senger
Time: R 1:00 - 2:50 PM

This seminar is designed to provide students with a practical working knowledge of essential financial concepts and practices. Topics such as resource management/budgeting, career planning including employment basics, investing and what credit scores mean and how they are applicable a student’s financial life. Students will be linked with College, University and personal resource providers that can support the unique challenges that first year students face.

2 Credits

Purposeful Learning - Fall 24

Class: Seminar 201
CRN: 43065
Instructor: Cameron Wuhr
Time: TR 12:00 -12:50 PM

This seminar course is designed to support first year students in a) navigating academic culture, b) cultivating a sense of community and belonging, and c) appreciating multiple perspectives from diverse individuals and communities. Students will be introduced to higher education jargon and topics (using a social justice lens) that lead to both academic and non-academic excellence. Students will apply critical thinking and analysis via lectures, group discussions, self-reflection, guided self-assessments, and guest speakers. A capstone project serves as an opportunity for students to reflect on the academic knowledge and intellectual experiences learned in class by connecting concepts and course outcomes to other classes and life experiences. Active participation is highly encouraged.

2 Credits

Gaming, Play, and Education Fall24

Class: Seminar 201
CRN: 43066
Instructor: Andrew Blick
Time: T 9:00 - 10:50 AM

This section of SMNR 201 is designed to support active engagement and community-building through gaming and play. In this course, we will:




  1. Develop academic literacy by researching issues around gaming and play in education.

  2. Consider how gaming and play can create equitable and justice-centered learning spaces.

  3. Build learning communities through gaming and play.

  4. Investigate opportunities at Western and in Bellingham to learn through gaming and play.

  5. Apply research and writing strategies to investigate a topic of interest related to the course themes.



Assignments will include reflections, class participation, an individual inquiry project, and a group presentation. Students will conduct academic research on an area of study related to the course, utilizing campus-based resources including Western Libraries, the Student Technology Center, and the Writing Center, among others. In addition to course content, students will build community within the class and explore our local communities (Western, Bellingham, Whatcom).





2 Credits

Winter 2025

Visionary Worlds Film Series

Class: Seminar 201
CRN: 12573
Instructor: Tania Douglas
Time: R 2:00 - 3:50 PM

This two-credit course is a text and film study focused on themes of social justice, race, class, and identity to name a few. Using speculative fiction and a variety of films, we will engage in broadening our understanding of the intersectional and visionary themes of social justice as presented in the realms of sci-fi, drama, and fantasy. Science fiction, in particular, offers a rich context within which we can dream up and imagine alternate realities, new ways of being, and the future of humanity. Paired with critical dialogue about current events and social movements, and films exploring contemporary issues of race and social order, we will explore different perspectives, identities, and visionary ideas to help us understand ourselves and our world more deeply.

2 Credits

Creative Identity & Industry

Class: Seminar 201
CRN: 12574
Instructor: Lucas Senger
Time: T 1:00 - 2:50 PM

This course is designed to help students explore and understand the creative identity as professional persona, consider creative practice as study and profession, and to identify academic pathways into creative industry. The course will feature regular visits from current professionals in the creative fields (design, technology, film, publishing, music and the arts). Students will also familiarize themselves with contemporary frameworks for spurring the creative self with a focus on Design Thinking.

2 Credits

College & Creativity: Shaping Your Story w/ Flash Nonfiction - Win25

Class: Seminar 201
CRN: 12575
Instructor: Bryce Sasaki
Time: T 12:00 PM - 1:50 PM

Students in this seminar will explore creative writing and experiment with creative practices that will support them as they begin their college experience. With a special emphasis on short form nonfiction, we will analyze exemplary creative works, practice the fundamentals of writing craft, and engage in generative writing exercises and revision strategies. We will consider how creative writing relates to other genres of college writing. What does creative writing do—for writers, for readers, for the world as it is now, and as we imagine it could be? Students will produce a portfolio of creative work, participate in a community of writers, and in the process further develop their voice and perspective.

2 Credits

Financial Literacy 1: How to Build a Robust Financial Foundation Win25

Class: Seminar 201
CRN: 12576
Instructor: Lucas Senger
Time: R 1:00- 2:50 PM

This seminar provides students with knowledge about essential financial concepts and practices. Students learn about resource management/budgeting, career planning, which is inclusive of employment basics, investing, and an understanding of what credit scores mean and how they are applicable to students' financial life. Students will be connected to personal resource providers in higher education who can further support them with common challenges that first-year students may experience. 

2 Credits

Financial Literacy 2 – A Primer for a Lifetime of Investing

Class: Seminar 201
CRN: 12643
Instructor: Lucas Senger
Time: R 3:00- 4:50 PM

This seminar is designed to provide a practical working knowledge of basic investing concepts. Students will be linked with College, University and personal resource providers that can support the unique challenges that first year students face. All FIG seminars offer an exploration of academic content and essential questions within the liberal arts and sciences tradition.

2 Credits

Purposeful Learning - Win25

Class: Seminar 201
CRN: 13004
Instructor: Cameron Wuhr
Time: TR 12:00 -12:50 PM

This seminar course is designed to support first year students in a) navigating academic culture, b) cultivating a sense of community and belonging, and c) appreciating multiple perspectives from diverse individuals and communities. Students will be introduced to higher education jargon and topics (using a social justice lens) that lead to both academic and non-academic excellence. Students will apply critical thinking and analysis via lectures, group discussions, self-reflection, guided self-assessments, and guest speakers. A capstone project serves as an opportunity for students to reflect on the academic knowledge and intellectual experiences learned in class by connecting concepts and course outcomes to other classes and life experiences. Active participation is highly encouraged.

2 Credits

Spring 2025

Alien Perspectives Film Series

Class: Seminar 201
CRN: 22512
Instructor: Tania Douglas
Time: M 3:00 - 4:50 PM

This two-credit course is a text and film study focused on themes of social justice and "the other", as well as issues of race, class, intersectionality, and identity to name a few. We exist in a world culture rooted in the idea of "the other", which is the foundation for most of our trials and tribulations. Is it possible for “the other” not to exist? Should that be our goal? What are the positives and negatives of seeing ourselves as different from other people in all the ways we do? Using science fiction paired with critical dialogue about current events and social movements, and films exploring contemporary issues of race and social order, we will explore different perspectives, identities, and visionary ideas to help us understand ourselves and our world more deeply.

2 Credits

The System in Black and White

Class: Seminar 201
CRN: 22513
Instructor: Tania Douglas
Time: W 3:00 - 4:50 PM

A system is a living structure, something designed over time that shapes our ideas, perspectives, and expectations with the weight of perceived authority. At its core, a system is a set of beliefs. It can be broken, interrupted, or redesigned by society, because its existence is based on collective agreement. However, systems are also about power, which makes changing them complex. In this course, we’ll explore society’s beliefs about race, gender, and identity through the systems that uphold them. We’ll study the nature of resistance as an intention to subvert, oppose, or change power relations between individuals and systems. We’ll examine historical and contemporary oppression, and the ideals of the resistance movements demanding change. This course will put a special emphasis on historical, contemporary and personal perspectives, inquiry questions and discussion, and research as a backdrop to students’ final project.

2 Credits

College & Creativity: Shaping Your Story w/ Flash Nonfiction - Spr25

Class: Seminar 201
CRN: 22515
Instructor: Bryce Sasaki
Time: T12:00 - 1:50 PM

Students in this seminar will explore creative writing and experiment with creative practices that will support them as they begin their college experience. With a special emphasis on short form nonfiction, we will analyze exemplary creative works, practice the fundamentals of writing craft, and engage in generative writing exercises and revision strategies. We will consider how creative writing relates to other genres of college writing. What does creative writing do—for writers, for readers, for the world as it is now, and as we imagine it could be? Students will produce a portfolio of creative work, participate in a community of writers, and in the process further develop their voice and perspective.

2 Credits

Excursions to Creative Industries & Institutions

Class: Seminar 201
CRN: 22516
Instructor: Lucas Senger
Time: T 1:00 - 2:50 p.m.

Emersion in creative institutions and places of creative production are essential to informing a thriving student creative practice. In this seminar we will explore what is possible in creative industry by experiencing community cultural hubs, creative companies in tech and entertainment, and artists’ studios. Granting students a first-hand opportunity to engage creative place.

2 Credits

Financial Literacy 1: How to Build a Robust Financial Foundation Spring25

Class: Seminar 201
CRN: 22600
Instructor: Lucas Senger
Time: R 300- 4:50 PM

This seminar provides students with knowledge about essential financial concepts and practices. Students learn about resource management/budgeting, career planning, which is inclusive of employment basics, investing, and an understanding of what credit scores mean and how they are applicable to students' financial life. Students will be connected to personal resource providers in higher education who can further support them with common challenges that first-year students may experience. 

2 Credits

Purposeful Learning - SPR25

Class: Seminar 201
CRN: 22922
Instructor: Cameron Wuhr
Time: TR 12:00 -12:50 PM

This seminar course is designed to support first year students in a) navigating academic culture, b) cultivating a sense of community and belonging, and c) appreciating multiple perspectives from diverse individuals and communities. Students will be introduced to higher education jargon and topics (using a social justice lens) that lead to both academic and non-academic excellence. Students will apply critical thinking and analysis via lectures, group discussions, self-reflection, guided self-assessments, and guest speakers. A capstone project serves as an opportunity for students to reflect on the academic knowledge and intellectual experiences learned in class by connecting concepts and course outcomes to other classes and life experiences. Active participation is highly encouraged.

2 Credits