First Year Eats

First Year Eats Graphic banner with food icons
The LAUNCH First Year Eats Living-Learning Program  centers on food and community. First Year Eats connects learning community students across programs to enhance the students' LC experience and widen their networks.  

First Year Eats emphasizes helping college students develop skills related to eating well in the new environment of residence hall living on a college campus: selecting, buying, preparing, storing, and even growing the items needed or wanted for nutritious meals while living in a residence hall. Additional opportunities to learn more about food and combatting hunger in American society are offered. Typical activities include Mug Meal Mondays, Crockpot Fridays, Shopping Healthy excursions, and occasional cooking classes. A “take what you need, eat what you take” pantry is provided in Clements for residents. All participation is optional.
 
First-year students from any major may participate. First Year Eats includes students from Regents’ Scholars, the LAUNCH Learning Communities (Brownsville Scholars, GTF Aggie Scholars, Century Scholars and Posse Scholars) and the Office for Student Success First-Generation Learning Communities (ACREW, FOCUS, and Ignite). First Year Eats allows students from different learning communities to mix across those groups and live together.
 
Office for Student Success First-Generation Learning Community participants (ACREW, FOCUS, Ignite) are highly encouraged to participate in First Year Eats. It is our belief that participating in First Year Eats, along with a student’s individual learning community, will give them an even greater first year experience. Students will not only get assistance with their academic transition, they will also have access to food, be abreast of proper eating habits, taught important nutritional information, and may participate in food related events weekly.
 
Some LAUNCH: Learning Communities (Brownsville Scholars and GTF Aggie Scholars) are required to live together in First Year Eats. Century Scholars are highly encouraged to do so. Note: University Honors and Terry Scholars live in other locations on-campus.

Students must be participating in either LAUNCH: Learning Communities such as the Brownsville Scholars, Century Scholars, Greater Texas Foundation Aggie Scholars, or Posse Scholars, or in Office for Student Success (OSS) First-Generation Learning Communities: ACREW (Regents' Scholars with President's Endowed Scholarships), FOCUS (Regents' Scholars), or Ignite (First Generation Non-Regents' Scholars). Regents' Scholars who are not required to live with their success program in another LLP may request First Year Eats. 

Note: Cadets affiliated with these learning communities, University Honors students and Terry Scholars may participate in First Year Eats events although they are required to live elsewhere on campus. 
There are no required activities specific to First Year Eats.

You have to attend mandatory residence life meetings but other than those, you choose what you want to attend - EVERY program offered in First Year Eats is optional. Programs add more to what students may get to do with their specific LAUNCH or OSS learning community. Students get out of First Year Eats what they are willing to put in - if a student makes the effort to participate in activities and meet other residents, the student will have a richer experience than if she limits herself to only what her learning community requires.

For 2020-2021, First Year Eats LLP will be placed into Clements hall.

Students must complete an application for on-campus housing and should do so as soon as possible.
Because of the scholarship programs included, the First Year Eats LLP offers a chance to connect with a greater number of students from diverse backgrounds on a consistent basis.

Scholarship housing requirements differ so each student needs to follow the process indicated for their specific learning community.

​Roommates may only be selected from other students who chose to live in the First Year Eats LLP. 

Most students may select a roommate from their own learning community or from the other learning communities.
  • Posse Scholars must select someone from a different learning community.
  • GTF Aggie Scholars and Brownsville Scholars are required by their scholarships to live with other scholars in their own learning community within First Year Eats.
Clements Hall will be the center of activity for First Year Eats. First Year Eats includes the following opportunities:
  • Mug Meal Mondays (free mugs, ingredients, recipes and coaching plus an online cookbook)
  • Crockpot Fridays (free ingredients and recipes)
  • Shopping Healthy excursions
  • Shared Clements Pantry - "take what you need, eat what you take" 
  • Everybody Eats (vegetable/herb grow bags for student rooms)
  • Vertical Tower Gardens (education and access to vertical tower gardens)
  • Cooking Lessons and other skill-building experiences 
  • Opportunities for service, leadership, or research to combat hunger on campus and beyond
First Year Eats LLP is a LAUNCH program funded by a TAMU I-School Innovation X grant and donations from sponsors including H-E-B Helping Here, Integ, Cal-Maine Foods, Inc., and Feathercrest Farms. This means that activities and supplies will be free to participants. As always, participating in First Year Eats programs as a resident of Clements Hall is optional.
Office for Student Success First Generation Learning Community students in ACREW, FOCUS or Ignite learning communities are highly encouraged to live in the LAUNCH First Year Eats LLP.  As the Office for Student Success says

Office for Student Success First-Generation Learning Community participants (ACREW, FOCUS, Ignite) are highly encouraged to participate in First Year Eats. It is our belief in the Office for Student Success that participating in First Year Eats, along with a student’s individual learning community, will give them an even greater first year experience. Students will not only get assistance with their academic transition, they will also have access to food, be abreast of proper eating habits, taught important nutritional information, and may participate in food related events weekly.

To join First Year Eats:
  1. Complete your on-campus housing application through the portal.
    1. Before March 1, indicate your interest in being in a Living-Learning Program during that process and select LAUNCH First Year Eats LLP.*
    2. After March 1, indicate your interest by completing step 2 below. 
  2. Confirm your First Year Eats LLP selections through the LAUNCH form to notify staff that you have completed your housing application for First Year Eats.**
  3. If you have completed your housing application prior to March 1, you will be prompted by the Housing Office to select your room and roommate within First Year Eats LLP prior to April 1. After April 1, all students going into the LLP will be assigned pot-luck within the LLP spaces. 
Once students are placed in First Year Eats LLP, their previous housing or roommate requests no longer apply. 
Students receiving the Brownsville Scholarship are REQUIRED to live with other freshmen in the FIrst Year Eats living-learning program.
  1. Complete your on-campus housing application through the portal.
    1. Before March 1, indicate your interest in being in a Living-Learning Program during that process and select LAUNCH First Year Eats LLP.*
    2. After March 1, indicate your interest by completing step 2 below. 
  2. Confirm your First Year Eats LLP selections through the LAUNCH form to notify staff that you have completed your housing application for First Year Eats.**
  3. If you have completed your housing application prior to March 1, you will be prompted by the Housing Office to select your room and roommate within First Year Eats LLP prior to April 1. After April 1, all students going into the LLP will be assigned pot-luck within the LLP spaces. 
*Cadets should complete the LC cadet registration to indicate their intention to live with the Corps instead of in First Year Eats.

**If you wish to request an exception to this requirement for any reason, you must do so before May 1. Contact the Brownsville Scholars Program Coordinator for instructions. All Brownsville Scholars will be coded to live in the First Year Eats LLP by LAUNCH if they have not requested to opt-out using the LAUNCH form. ​

Brownsville Scholars have programming provided exclusively for them outside the LLP through their learning community.

Once students are placed in First Year Eats LLP, their previous housing or roommate requests no longer apply. 

Century Scholars are highly encouraged to live with other freshmen in the LAUNCH FIrst Year Eats living-learning program.

  1. Complete your on-campus housing application through the portal.
    1. Before March 1, indicate your interest in being in a Living-Learning Program during that process and select LAUNCH First Year Eats LLP.*
    2. After March 1, indicate your interest by completing step 2 below. 
  2. Confirm your First Year Eats LLP selections through the LAUNCH form to notify staff that you have completed your housing application for First Year Eats.**
  3. If you have completed your housing application prior to March 1, you will be prompted by the Housing Office to select your room and roommate within First Year Eats LLP prior to April 1. After April 1, all students going into the LLP will be assigned pot-luck within the LLP spaces. 

*Cadets should complete the LC cadet registration to indicate their intention to live with the Corps instead of in First Year Eats. 

Once students are placed in FIrst Year Eats, their previous housing or roommate requests no longer apply. 

Students receiving the Greater Texas Foundation (GTF) Aggie Scholars Scholarship are REQUIRED to live with other freshmen in the FIrst Year Eats living-learning program. 
  1. Complete your on-campus housing application through the portal.
    1. Before March 1, indicate your interest in being in a Living-Learning Program during that process and select LAUNCH First Year Eats LLP.*
    2. After March 1, indicate your interest by completing step 2 below. 
  2. Confirm your First Year Eats LLP selections through the LAUNCH form to notify staff that you have completed your housing application for First Year Eats.**
  3. If you have completed your housing application prior to March 1, you will be prompted by the Housing Office to select your room and roommate within First Year Eats LLP prior to April 1. After April 1, all students going into the LLP will be assigned pot-luck within the LLP spaces. 
*Cadets should complete the LC cadet registration to indicate their intention to live with the Corps instead of in First Year Eats.

**If you wish to request an exception to this requirement for any reason, you must do so before May 1. Contact the GTF Aggie Scholars Program Coordinator for instructions. All GTF Aggie Scholars will be coded to live in the First Year Eats LLP by LAUNCH if they have not requested to opt-out using the LAUNCH form.

GTF Aggie Scholars have programming provided exclusively for them outside the LLP through their learning community.

Once students are placed in First Year Eats LLP, their previous housing or roommate requests no longer apply. 
Regents' Scholarship recipients who are not enrolled in a LAUNCH learning community or an OSS learning community may request to be placed in LAUNCH First Year Eats in order to live with other Regents' Scholars and scholarship students. Space is not guaranteed to Regents' Scholars who are not in LAUNCH but will be allocated if available after all LAUNCH students have received spaces. Spaces will be awarded to LAUNCH LC students first.

To request living in First Year Eats:
  1. Complete your on-campus housing application through the portal.
    1. Before March 1, indicate your interest in being in a Living-Learning Program during that process and select LAUNCH First Year Eats LLP.*
    2. After March 1, indicate your interest by completing step 2 below. 
  2. Confirm your First Year Eats LLP selections through the LAUNCH form to notify staff that you have completed your housing application for First Year Eats.**
  3. If you have completed your housing application prior to March 1, you will be prompted by the Housing Office to select your room and roommate within First Year Eats LLP prior to April 1. After April 1, all students going into the LLP will be assigned pot-luck within the LLP spaces. 
Regents' Scholars are encouraged to live with other freshmen in the LAUNCH First Year Eats living-learning program to grow their network if they are not required to live with another specific LLP based on their Regents' Scholarship success program placement. This means that if you are a Regents' Scholar but not a part of LAUNCH or OSS programs, you can be part of the LAUNCH family through First Year Eats.  No matter which LAUNCH or OSS learning community your friend is in, you can share your hall experience if space is available. 

Once students are placed in First Year Eats, their previous housing or roommate requests no longer apply.
Students who are not participants in the Regents' Scholarship program or one of the LAUNCH: Learning Communities or the Office for Student Success First-Generation Learning Communities based on receipt of a specific scholarship generally do not live in First Year Eats. 

Students in this situation may voluntarily request to join a learning community, but spaces are not always available. Joining a learning community should not be done simply to gain access to the residence hall.

Students requesting placement in a learning community commit to completing all requirements of the learning community through the end of the freshman year without the benefit of receiving the associated scholarship. At a minimum this includes registering for the learning community course(s), participating in learning community events, meeting with a peer mentor and/or staff member each semester. Participating as a volunteer in a learning community may also include completing community service hours, tutoring or study group hours, meeting with an academic advisor, or meeting with a faculty member. Joining a learning community should not be done simply to gain access to the residence hall. 

Admission to the learning community is solely at the discretion of the learning community's program coordinator and will not be granted without a compelling reason because this is a true year-long commitment. Please note: some learning communities cannot accept non-scholarship participants because of the way that they are funded.

If you wish to pursue participation in a LAUNCH Learning Community but are not a scholarship recipient or first-generation student, please send your request to lc@tamu.edu for consideration before May 1 and complete the First Year Eats WANT LLP form before May 1. 
Housing Applications are done in phases that are triggered by student action or the housing procedures themselves:  
  1. Apply to live on campus https://reslife.tamu.edu/apply/ including signing the contract and paying an application fee.
  2. Indicate your interest in a Living-Learning Program (LAUNCH First Year Eats, Terry Scholars, or Honors Housing Community) and update your preferences
    1. Before March 1, this is done in the housing portal 
    2. After March 1, this is done by completing the request on the LAUNCH website
  3. Select a room and/or roommate within the LLP
    1. Before April 1, this is an option for students in the housing portal
    2. After April 1, this is no longer an option. Students going into the LLP will be placed pot-luck with other members of the LLP.