The FIG program began in 1987 as a means of creating small, intentional learning communities within the large university setting.

Since their inception 30 years ago, FIGs have linked clusters of courses to seminars facilitated by peer instructors. The number of FIGs increased steadily from 1987, when 4 clusters were offered, to today with over 150 clusters offered. As we study the effects of the FIG program on student persistence and retention rates, we can report that FIG students return for their second year and graduate at higher rates than students who were not in a FIG.

FIG Research & Reports 

1.  Helping Students FIG-ure It Out: A data-driven look at freshmen seminars via first-year interest groups (FIGs)
   • Authors: Lovenoor Aulck, Joshua Malters, Casey Lee, Gianni Mancinelli, Alex Lau, Min Sun, Jevin West
   • Publication date 2018/2/18
2. Predicting student dropout in higher education
   • Authors: Lovenoor Aulck, Nishant Velagapudi, Joshua Blumenstock, Jevin West
   • Publication date 2016/6/20
3. 2009 Freshman Interest Group Assessment Report
   • Authors: C. Beyer, J. Peterson, N. Lowell and A. Giesbrecht
   •  Publication date, 10-05, 2010. (4,700K PDF)
   • FYP Response