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The First Year Development Program (FYDP)

FYDP is your first step to success as a GW School of Business student. The First Year Development Program (FYDP) is a required two-semester sequence of developmental experiences designed to enhance your GWSB education and begin preparation for your future career. FYDP incorporates the values of GWSB as articulated in the School's Strategic Directions statement: Integrity, Leadership, Scholarship, Service and Relationships. FYDP focuses on assisting you in achieving your goals and will introduce you to GW, GWSB, Washington, DC, and to faculty and alumni who work in the various fields of study offered by GWSB.

A key element of your FYDP experience is your mentor - an upper-class student who walked in your shoes not that long ago. Your mentor will facilitate FYDP breakout discussion sessions on a variety of business topics and assist you in transitioning to college life. This mentoring relationship is often the foundation of a student's network and it is not unusual for the professional connection to last long after graduation.

Session topics included in BADM 001 and BADM 002, the First Year Development Program, include
- Mentors and Teams
- Walkathon for Habitat for Humanity
- StrengthsQuest
- Career Development: Resume Writing
- Corporate Social Responsibility and Project Management
- Introduction to Fields of Concentration
- Utilizing Resources: Networking, Fellowships and Research Opportunities, Study Abroad
- Closing the Loop - how to meet your academic and professional career goals

For more information, contact fydp@gwu.edu.