Lee University provides a comprehensive program designed to assist first-year students in adjusting to university life. The Office of First-Year Programs seeks to assist all incoming freshmen and transfer students in their first year experiences at Lee University. After being accepted to Lee, new students review and complete a Gateway Portfolio. This portfolio contains helpful information about Lee as well as forms that must be completed before a new student arrives on campus.

An important part of the first-year is the New Student Orientation. All new freshmen, transfer students, and parents attend this event in preparation for the first semester at Lee.

Lee University requires that all incoming freshmen participate in a Freshman Seminar class called “Gateway to University Success” or GNST101. This special freshman course embodies and expresses the central goals and purposes of the First-Year Experience. The course introduces students to essential academic skills and the application of critical thinking skills, as well as a personal Christian worldview to life decisions. It is taught by an “all-star” team of faculty and administrators under the leadership of the Director of First-Year Programs. This class allows students to meet different professors on campus as well as create lasting friendships with upperclassmen who guide freshmen through their first semester.

Incoming transfer students with more than 16 hours (beyond high school; completed at another college or university) may not be required to participate in the Freshman Seminar and are instead invited to attend a series of September Success workshops that introduce students to the essential components of scholarship at Lee University.

After students have reached junior or senior status, they are invited to be a part of the Freshman Seminar program as Peer Leaders. First-Year Programs is in charge of recruiting and training these Peer Leaders to act as guides and mentors to incoming freshmen students. Student leadership opportunities are also provided in working with incoming transfer students.