"...Conversing with other students when reflecting makes me think about how everyone has their own story and that everyone should work together to bring each others stories to life."

-Carlos Calderon Brandt, First-year student on RIT 365

Please enjoy the stories our students have shared about their RIT 365 experience:

Through this experience I was able to work on my collaboration, critical and analytic thinking, creativity, and problem solving skills. I worked with my group to successfully get through the different problems. I not only suggested my ideas but also listened to others, which allowed us to complete the escape room quickly.

Kaitlin White 
on the Cybersecurity Escape Room PDR cycle

When we were given time to write our own poem about a memory we never want to lose, it helped me reflect back on my life and see all the good things that have happened so far. Writing the poem also allowed me to show my creative side, and learn more about myself as a person.

Theresa Uhl
on the Mental Graffiti PDR cycle

During the PDR cycle, my perspective of everybody at college kind of doing their own things was really challenged and changed. I realized that there are many communities at RIT that everybody can get involved in and sometimes you can find people who have similar interests as you in the most unsuspecting of ways.

2020 First-year Student
on the Bevier Harris Art Gallery PDR cycle

Until finally he really started to appreciate the value of souvenirs and the defnitions of other people's identities. And ever since then that boy has had a greater appreciation for new experiences that can bring new souvenirs and new defining aspects of his personality. So the moral of the story is that by taking the time to reflect on experiences in your life, you can truly start to realize how those experiences shaped you as the person you are today.

Martin Marraccino
on the RIT Global PDR cycle

What is RIT 365?

RIT 365 is an opportunity unlike any other; A chance for first-year students to immerse themselves in the campus culture at RIT.

At RIT, we have built a first-year course that helps students launch their career at RIT. Through this immersive experience, they'll develop self-awareness and make meaningful connections that will provide a foundation for success during their time at RIT and beyond. Our course is unlike any other first-year course in the country. Through experiential learning opportunities, they will plan for and reflect on personal first-year experiences, receive feedback, and develop a personal plan to help own their RIT experience.

Program Core

  • Experiential Learning Cycle: Explore-Connect-Reflect
  • Dialogue model for classroom engagement

Program Elements

  • New Student Orientation: Connect & Serve
  • One-on-one Coaching
  • Portfolio Reflections
  • Community Experiences

To learn more about RIT 365, visit the Year One Programs website.