Major Moments: How Faculty, Peers, and Alumni Guide MIT’s First-Year Students
Each April, first-year students formally declare their majors, marking an important milestone in their academic journey at MIT. As they prepare to make this decision, many are actively reflecting on their interests, experiences, and long-term goals to find a major that is best suited for them.
The Office of the First Year (OFY) oversees Major Exploration programming, which typically occurs in March and April. This year, the OFY created a three-pronged approach (aptly named “the Trident”), to provide opportunities for students to connect with upper-level students, faculty, staff, and alumni across the various academic departments at MIT.
Prong 1 – Get the Inside Scoop: Faculty Presentations
Utilizing the social stairs outside of the Undergraduate Advising Center (UAC, 11-101), faculty were invited to give brief, 30-minute presentations on their department, potential career paths, and their research. Coordinated by Laura Harvey (Staff Associate, Advising & New Student Orientation), 12 faculty members, representing four schools, presented to first-year students. Mini ice-cream treats were provided for students to enjoy as they got the “inside scoop” on the academic departments.
Prong 2 – Major Exploration Lunches with Associate Advisors
First-year students were invited to lunch with associate advisors, who are upper-level students who provide academic support and resources to first-year students. These lunches featured discussions on personal experiences, research and internship opportunities, and various tracks within each major. Coordinated by Valerie Nihei (Staff Associate, Advising & New Student Programming), nine lunches, representing majors from the School of Science and School of Engineering, were held.
Prong 3 – Alumni Testimonials
MIT alumni have built diverse careers across industries, often in fields they didn’t anticipate as undergraduates. To ease the anxiety many first-year students feel about choosing a major, alumni were asked to share their insights on how they explored their academic interests, navigated their career path, and any advice they have for first-year students. Coordinated by Jordan Sell ‘23 (Staff Associate, Advising and Academic Performance), 29 alumni, spanning the past 25 years, provided responses. These testimonials were then made available on the OFY’s website (firstyear.mit.edu) for students to read.
— Jordan Sell, Office of the First Year