Our Mission:

Sense of Place is an event put on by First-Year Experience every semester in an attempt to connect students with the Chico State campus and community. Students are given the opportunity to present their semester-long research project to an audience of peers and community members who can further engage them with their topic. Sense of Place is a safe space for students to garner new skills to aid in their personal and professional growth. We aim to introduce first-year students to the many resources offered by clubs and organizations at Chico State and in the surrounding community to further their sense of belonging.

Sense of Place helped students:

Connect their classroom learning to the greater community.
Foster a sense of belonging.
Find resources offered on campus and in the community.
Get involved with the campus and community beyond the SOP event.

How Participation Worked:

The Connection Fair

A major component of Sense of Place was the Connection Fair, a tabling opportunity for campus and community organizations to inform students of the resources and opportunities they offer. Not only was this a great event for club outreach, but it also presented students with several ways in which they could get involved on campus and in the wider community. The goal was to help our students find connection and a sense of belonging in Chico.

"I got to see all the different clubs on campus and I got to talk about my experience as a first year student" - Fall 2025 student

This is a photo from the Civic expo that took place in spring 2024. Student organizations and campus departments can be seen tabling in this image along with students going from table to table.

Student Presenters

The students enrolled in FYE-Supported Courses had the opportunity to showcase their learning and knowledge acquired from the semester-long projects completed as part of their coursework. In small groups, students then transitioned that research into 20-25 minute long presentations, which were shared at Sense of Place and generally focused on topics related to the Chico State community and/or college success.

Click here for a list of past courses.

"I do feel a more increased connection to Chico State just from this class and the events that have been held within it that I have attended to. I definitely didn't know much of these people that I now call friends and I probably would've never known them if it wasn't for this class. " - Fall 2025 student

Respondents

Respondents were campus and community participants who actively listened and engaged in student presentations while providing feedback using the Feedback Form. After the students presented their work, Respondents asked questions about the students' research and presentation that would further engage them (and the audience) with the content.

"I definitely have the confidence to create change in my community, however this class has opened up my perspective on how and why I would need to do that in the first place. " Fall 2025 student

This is an image in which a group of students can be seen presenting and interacting with audience

Audience Members

Audiences of all backgrounds were encouraged to sit in and add to the conversation surrounding the student presentations, whether they know about a topic or not. This vital role helped to foster academic discussion and provided students with a fully immersive experience.

"I feel an increased confidence in my ability to create change in my community because I have met people who have and who would help me." Fall 2025 student

Moderators

Moderators, who were current FYE student staff members, were trained to help ensure that student presentations ran smoothly. This included helping students set up for their presentation, keeping track of time throughout the presentation, supporting Respondents with their Q&A at the end of the presentation, and helping everyone navigate the event.

Our staff sitting at a question table for students who have questions

SOP at a Glance:

1,677 total student participants from Fall 2022 - Fall 2025

Page updated

Report abuse