by Sylvia Hong
Oklahoma Baptist University’s new First Year Experience program aims to help freshmen adjust to college life and find the community they need to succeed.
The program centers on Bison Foundations, a class designed to give students a firm foundation for their first year at OBU.
According to the university’s academic catalog, the zero-credit course introduces first-year and other new students to OBU’s mission and helps them connect that mission to their education. The course carries a $20 fee.
Bison Foundations also gives freshmen a consistent group of people they can turn to when they have questions or need guidance.
Mario Melendez, Auguie Henry Chair of Old Testament and assistant professor of Old Testament and biblical studies, said the program gives professors opportunities to check in with students and ask questions such as, “How’s dorm life going?” and “How are classes?”
Melendez said those leading FYE volunteered for the role and were not required to participate.
He hopes the program will help professors build relationships with students and provide them with genuine care and support.
For students still learning how to navigate campus, the class can serve a practical purpose.
One commuter student said Bison Foundations provided an ideal setting to ask about commuter meal plans, parking and other parts of college life that may not be fully understood during Welcome Week.
“Welcome Week comes fast and leaves fast, too, often leaving questions unanswered,” the student said. “When you get a month or so into school, you might realize you need to ask something, and Bison Foundations is there to be your safe space.”
The program also places students with classmates from different majors, creating opportunities for friendships beyond their residence halls and academic programs.
One freshman suggested that students may warm up to one another by the end of the semester and begin to recognize the class’s positive effects.
Although the intentions behind the class are mostly positive, some conversations with members of the 2026 freshman class revealed mixed opinions. Some students questioned whether the benefits justified the weekly time commitment and $20 course fee.
“It takes up an hour of your week while charging you a fee, and it’s not going to help you make friends,” one student said. She explained that as an outgoing freshman, she does not struggle to make connections, but she does need all the study time she can get.
She acknowledged that she might view FYE differently if her schedule as a music education major were not so busy.
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Some students also questioned whether every freshman should be advised by a Bison Foundations professor because some academic programs require specialized advising, but all FYE professors are equipped with information about every major and many advising tools.
Melendez acknowledged that Bison Foundations will not be perfect during its first year at OBU.
“There are inevitably things that will need to be tweaked and improved,” he said.
Melendez hopes students will move beyond the “awkward get-to-know-you phase,” develop close relationships and perhaps form lasting friendships.
Ultimately, he wants freshmen not only to survive their first year of college but also to flourish.
Holly Easttom, student publications advisor who is also a faculty leader in Bison Foundations, said she agreed with Melendez.
“Of course we might have some hiccups the first ideation of this class, but that will improve,” she said. “I’m genuinely excited about being intentional with my freshman students and developing a foundation that might serve them the entire four years here. Everyone will benefit in some way, and I am proud of how intentional OBU is with our students.”
As the program develops, student feedback may help OBU determine what is working and what needs to change.
For now, Bison Foundations offers freshmen a designated place to ask questions, make connections and find support during their transition to college.
