News

Approximately 40% of students enrolled at Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science identify as first-generation, making strong academic and social support especially critical during their first year.

That support begins with the First Year Experience (FYE) Seminar, a course offered each semester to guide new undergraduate students through their transition into college life. More than a traditional success course, FYE fosters community, helps students clarify their goals, and connects their education to a deeper sense of purpose.

“The course provides a supportive space where students meet each other and connect through shared lived experiences,” said Bailey Smith, Academic Advisor. “Knowing they have classmates and a support system who understand what they’re going through helps them get through the tough moments they’ll inevitably face as college students.”

For Keshnay Saffore, a Watts native and public health major, that sense of belonging has been both affirming and motivating. A working mother and full-time employee, Saffore said she felt drawn to CDU from the beginning.

“I was unsure if I would even be accepted to this school and they welcomed me with open arms,” said Saffore. 

Her long-term goal is to create meaningful change through public health. “My focus will be to make a change in underserved communities, helping people overcome barriers and adversity,” she added.

Research shows that friendship, support, and a sense of belonging in the first year are directly linked to higher persistence and degree completion. The more connected students feel, the more likely they are to remain enrolled and reach graduation—an understanding that intentionally shapes the design of the FYE course.

“We really wanted to help students connect what they were doing in school with their overall goals in life,” said Bailey Smith. “To do that, we focused more on the idea of designing your life.”

That approach comes to life through the course’s culminating project: a “Life Design Map” in which students reflect on their goals, dreams, and plans for success at CDU and beyond.

For transfer student Kevin Chaires-Manrique, the FYE course builds upon a longer relationship with the University. He participated in CDU’s Pathways to Health Careers Academy during his junior year of high school and credits the program with shifting his trajectory toward medicine. He’s now pursuing a Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences degree and serves as an ambassador in the Health Career Opportunity Program (HCOP), where he mentors high school students.

“Through this Life Design mapping process, I realized that my strongest growth comes through purposeful challenges,” said Chaires-Manrique. “My journey toward family medicine is rooted in witnessing health disparities in Los Angeles communities and that’s why I will focus on primary care, continue mentoring students, engage in health disparities research, and ultimately provide culturally competent, equitable care to underserved populations.”

Through reflection, connection, and purpose-driven planning, the First Year Experience Seminar is helping new CDU students build the confidence and community they need to thrive on campus and beyond.