UMW’s LaunchPad Program Propels Students to First-Year Success

University of Mary Washington first-year student Crow Sindelar spreads out glitter pens and neon highlighters on a table in the Cedric Rucker University Center and begins plugging this semester’s courses into a new day planner.

“It’s helpful to review your syllabus and expectations so you can track assignments, midterms and finals – and make it aesthetically pleasing,” said Sindelar, a sociology major who color-codes classes in the calendar with sparkly blue, purple, green and pink ink. “I want to stay organized and manage everything in college.”

That’s the goal of LaunchPad, a new series of events helping incoming students transition to UMW by building executive functioning and social skills critical for college success. Supported by a Fund for Mary Washington Impact Grant, the four-week program, which concluded last week, offers a crash course in syllabus organization, time management, campus involvement and using computer tools like Canvas and Microsoft Office.

First-year student Crow Sindelar shows off their new day planner provided by the LaunchPad program. Supported by a Fund for Mary Washington Impact Grant, the four-week program gives incoming students a crash course in syllabus organization, time management, campus involvement and how to utilize computer tools like Canvas and Microsoft Office.

UMW first-year student Lucy Rabung (left) sought the help of her peer mentor, Lauren Spagnuolo, a sophomore, who helped her organize all her syllabi and record the dates of her assignments in a new day planner, provided by LaunchPad.

The first week of LaunchPad saw 225 students attend its sessions on syllabus organization, which also gave them the chance to print syllabi in the nearby Center for Career and Professional Development.

“College is one of the biggest transitions these students have faced since kindergarten, and they’re navigating it on their own without their parents,” said Melissa Jones, associate vice president of student affairs and dean of students. In her role, Jones leads New Student Programs and co-created LaunchPad with UMW First-Year Experience Director April Wynn. “We want them to know they’re not alone,” Jones said.

Wynn, an associate professor of biological sciences, said LaunchPad emerged from conversations with faculty who noticed students needed help adjusting to post-pandemic college life shaped by new technologies, including discussions around using AI in the classroom.

“These students are part of the Chromebook generation and often have little experience using Microsoft products,” said Wynn. LaunchPad meets them where they are, she said, helping them build the confidence, community and skills they need to thrive academically and socially.

After seeing the success of another donor-funded initiative, Soft Landings, a pre-arrival program for UMW students with autism spectrum disorder, Jones and Wynn, along with Assistant Director of New Student Programs Lillian Lester ’20, secured a $5,000 Impact Grant, which covered peer mentor stipends, day planners, workshops, outreach and more.

While LaunchPad is geared toward first-year students, Jones said they hope to plan it around the fall senior class meeting in the future to provide a refresher for soon-to-be graduates. “They’ll need these skills for the workforce, and it aligns with Life After Mary Washington,” she said.

Read more at Giving.umw.edu.