Purpose First Scholars Learning Community
In 2023, Purpose First Scholars was awarded the NASPA Silver Excellence Award for First-Generation Student Support: "This award seeks to highlight innovative initiatives that relate to the programs, policies, procedures, best practices, or services supporting first-generation undergraduate or graduate students."
“Beginning college with a clear sense of purpose is a critical step to ensuring an investment in higher education pays personal and financial dividends for a lifetime” (Complete College America).
Purpose First Scholars is a career-focused learning community dedicated to helping incoming freshmen align their major to career goals during their first year in college.
Scholars will have the opportunity to participate in exclusive academic and career exploration experiences and leave the learning community ready to achieve their career goals. From Fall 2022 to Spring 2023, Scholars were retained at a rate of 94.6% compared to roughly 82% of their non-PFS peers.
Participation in the learning community begins with an exclusive overnight GO (Governors Orientation) experience on the first weekend in June. and continues throughout the fall semester in a UNIV 1000 section specifically designed for Purpose First Scholars. Additionally, Scholars will attend exclusive career readiness events outside of the classroom to better develop key career skills. The program is externally funded, meaning there is no cost for students to participate!
We are now accepting applications for our Fall 2025 cohort of Scholars!
Applications are closed for all Fall 2024 freshmen.
Meet with our Coordinator for more info!
Frequently Asked Questions
The Purpose First Scholars Learning Community guides success by helping students to form connections in a peer group with like-minded students. This learning community helps students build important connections with campus resources, faculty, and staff to foster personal and academic success.
Students in the Purpose First Scholars Learning Community will benefit from:
- Exploring their major and career goals while participating in experiences that prepare them for their future.
- Participating in an exclusive overnight GO (Governors Orientation) experience where
they will engage in fun activities that are meant to inspire early career exploration
and introduce them to life at APSU.
- Enrolling in a special section of UNIV 1000 in the fall semester designed to help Scholars find a pathway to careers and engage in meaningful career experiences outside the classroom.
- Enrolling in a section of UNIV 2100 in the spring semester as a expansion on the career exploration started in UNIV 1000. Scholars will develop soft skills, practice networking, and map academic plans to career goals.
- Receiving a full year of special guidance from staff, faculty, and peer leaders.
- Get trusted guidance for first-generation challenges from a National Award-winning
program.
Below are the eligibility requirements for the Purpose First Scholars Learning Community.
Please feel free to reach out with any questions or concerns you might have about these requirements.
- First-generation college student (neither parent/guardian graduated from a four-year college) OR eligible to receive the Pell Grant
- Traditional, incoming first-time freshmen admitted for fall semester
- Live on campus or commute
- Attend overnight GO (Governors Orientation) on the first weekend of June 2025. Details about the orientation experience will be sent to students who are accepted into the learning community.
- Attend career readiness and community-builder events throughout the fall semester.
- Register and stay enrolled in the special Purpose First Scholars section of UNIV 1000 (freshman seminar) in the fall semester.
- Register and stay enrolled UNIV 2100 (career preparation seminar) in the spring semester.
- All Scholars must participate in a full academic year of program activities and meet once per semester with the Student Success Coordinator for the learning community, Savannah Longo.
We are currently accepting applications for Fall Semester 2025.
Students who meet the eligibility requirements listed above are invited to apply to the learning community and can click on the link below to be taken directly to the application.
The priority application deadline is December 15, 2024. Students who are accepted into the learning community will receive an email via their APSU email address.
Students and their families/support network are encouraged to contact the Student Success Coordinator for the Purpose First Scholars Learning Community, Mrs. Savannah Longo.
Email: LongoS@apsu.edu
Text or Call: 931-221-7735
You may also schedule a phone or Zoom appointment to address any questions you might have about the learning community.