Student Success CAT Communities
Chart your journey to success!
These Student Success CAT Communities engage first-year students with a diverse community of goal-oriented peers, facilitate individual academic guidance, and assist students in developing a strong educational foundation. These Communities foster independent learning, build community and inspire engagement, develop multicultural competencies, and provide students with the tools and skills needed to succeed in college. Within the courses, there is an emphasis on college student success skills such as time management, study skills, critical thinking strategies, etc. They provide a place to ask questions about the University and practice the skills needed to succeed as a first-year student.
While these Student Success CAT Communities can be an excellent option for any student wanting to navigate the college experience with a group of other students, we highly recommend these learning communities to first-generation and Open Option students. Some of these CAT Communities have been specially designed for first-generation students (First in the Family, First Scholars) and Open Option Students (Find Your Fit, Writing Life), but all of them will provide the kinds of support and connection to help you flourish in your first-year. There are Residential and Non-Residential options to choose from!
Residential Student Success CAT Communities:
Find Your Fit
“What do you want to be when you grow up?” and "What are you going to major in?" are undeniably two questions a first year college student has heard over and over. Enroll in this CAT Community to learn more about yourself and the decision-making journey as you uncover your strengths, values, and a world of majors and careers that can lead to a life of passion, purpose, and fulfillment. This CAT Community primarily serves Open Option students.
Residence Hall: Marlatt
COMM 106 Public Speaking 1
FSHS 110 Introduction to Human Development
EDCEP 120 Academic and Career Decisions
First in the Family
This is a living-learning community for first-generation, first-year students. You will learn essential college success skills such as community building and critical thinking, while taking classes that teach you about social systems and leadership. You’ll develop your talents and strengths, become a part of an academic and social support network, and learn all about the tools, resources, and services to make your transition to college successful.
Residence Hall: Haymaker
LEAD 212 Introduction to Leadership Concepts
ANTH 204 Introduction to Cultural Anthropology
LEAD 195 First in the Family
First Scholars
This CAT community will focus on empowering you with tools and resources to create a successful transition to college. You will learn how to analyze the social world and your place in it. You’ll accomplish this through hands-on workshops to learn about bettering yourself professionally and socially while exploring leadership potential. This living learning community is only for first-generation, first-year students selected to be part of the First Scholars program.
Residence Hall: Strong Community
LEAD 212 Introduction to Leadership Concepts
SOCIO 211 Introduction to Sociology
LEAD 195 1st Gen 101: First Generation Transition Seminar
Pop Culture and Society
You will explore how popular culture not only reflects but also influences society's attitudes and beliefs toward human diversity. If you enjoy discussing film and television and their connections to social issues, and if you want to discover how watching movies can make you a better student, then this CAT Community is for you!
Residence Hall: Kramer Community (Goodnow, Marlatt, Wefald)
ENGL 220 Fiction into Film
MC 110 Mass Communication in Society
DAS 195 Pop Culture and Society
Strengths
K-State is a strengths-based campus. First year students in this living learning community will transition from strengths identification to strengths development. Discover what you do best and learn how to use those talents to make your college experience rewarding and successful. In this positive and engaging learning community, you will study the importance of exercising leadership through a strengths based perspective. You will bridge the gap between your own leadership education and social environment to make progress on issues you care deeply about.
Residence Hall: Moore and West
LEAD 212 Introduction to Leadership Concepts
ANTH 204 Introduction to Cultural Anthropology
LEAD 195 Strengths
Non-Residential Student Success CAT Communities:
16 Goals for Wildcat Success
#1 Commitment, #7 Great Effort, #4 Improve Every Day... Many K-State students, alumni, and fans are familiar with how Coach Snyder’s 16 Goals for Wildcat Success have helped develop high achieving teams on the football field. These same concepts also extend to performance as a college student. In this fun and engaging Cat Community, students will have the opportunity to learn about themselves and their values, and grow as students and as community leaders (#16 Leadership!), as we apply the 16 Goals for Success in our learning community.
LEAD 212 Introduction to Leadership Concepts
HDFS 110 Introduction to Human Development
LEAD 195 16 Goals for Wildcat Success
Adulting 101
Students will prepare for the “real world” and learn about topics that will help them be successful inside and outside of college. The class will focus on a set of topics or issues based on things like the common book theme, current needs or trends, or of interest to students. Topics may include financial planning, identifying fake news, identity, time management, health & wellness, relationships, career planning, difficult conversations, and many others. The class will document what they learn through a blog and podcast so other students can learn from their experience.
EDCEP 111 University Experience
MC 110 Mass Communications in Society
EDCEP 110 Study Skills and Strategies
Engineering Foundations
The Engineering Foundations CAT Community is designed specifically for General Engineering students enrolled in College Algebra or Trigonometry. This community will provide students with a connection to the College of Engineering and resources to help them successfully navigate their first semester on campus. Students will engage in learning activities that will strengthen their time management skills, study skills, goal setting and give them the tools to be successful future engineers.
MATH 150 Plane Trigonometry
ECON 110 Principles of Macroeconomics
DEN 015 Connecter Course
Global Conversations
Bonjour! ¡Hola! Guten Tag! Ni Hao! Hello! Did you know that there are 196 countries and countless cultures across the globe? In this CAT Community, you will learn how communication transcends location and how to develop your own skills as a global communicator.
GEOG 100 World Regional Geography
COMM 106 Public Speaking 1
EDCEP 110 Study Skills and Strategies
The Good Place
Are we in the Good Place, or the Bad Place? In this community we will work together to find ways we can shape our campus and world into the Good Place (or at least a better place). We will also think through the skills and strategies that help positively shape your college experience and make K-State a good place for you!
MATH 100 College Algebra
GWSS 105 Introduction to Gender, Women, and Sexuality Studies
EDCEP 110 Study Skills and Strategies
Speak Your Mind
In this CAT Community, you'll learn how psychology and communication shape the ways you understand yourself and the world around you. You'll spend time with a close group of peers exploring your perspectives, sharing ideas, and building community.
COMM 106 Public Speaking 1
PSYCH 110 General Psychology
EDCEP 110 Study Skills & Strategies
Writing Life
"In order to write about life, you must first live it." -- Ernest Hemingway. In this CAT Community, we'll explore the ways race, gender, and class intersect in our everyday lives and in society at large. This CAT Community primarily serves Open Option students.
ENGL 100 Expository Writing 1
SOCIO 211 Introduction to Sociology
EDCEP 110 Study Skills and Strategies
If you have additional questions, contact us at kstatefirst@k-state.edu.
