Born out of a goal to strengthen early student retention and the strategic Student Affairs reorganization, the new Office of Orientation & First-Year Experience (OFYE) completed its first year of transforming how students transition into college life. 

Research and institutional data revealed by the College’s Theory of Change Required Advising team show that when students start strong and participate in comprehensive orientation programs, they establish meaningful peer connections and a clearer sense of purpose.

Orientations aren’t new to ACC. The College has had different variations of orientations, including a grant-funded orientation model in 2014 that morphed into group advising. The establishment of the dedicated OFYE department provides a centralized, long-term foundation tailored directly to student onboarding.

Led by Executive Dean Roxane Royalty, the OFYE team was built from the ground up to create an authentic sense of belonging and community from day one. The office has quickly scaled its operations, hiring an administrative assistant, three regional directors, nine coordinators, and five student Peer Leaders to cover the district’s North, Central, and South regions.  

“I am most proud of how the OFYE team and colleagues across ACC worked together to build our Orientation & First-Year Experience program. The OFYE Advisory Committee helped define our work early on, and college partners showed up for students at every in-person orientation and continue to participate in FYE events,” said Royalty.

Refreshed Orientations and Tailored Programming

Starting out, the office inherited online modules that were previous versions of orientations, which it revamped and relaunched in March. This required one-hour asynchronous Student Online Onboarding Module (originally launched as Riverbat Student Onboarding – RSO) was completed by 8,247 students between March 23 and September 1, 2026. The online module is Step 1 in the three-step Riverbat Orientation & First-Year Experience new student process. The module covers essential information and resources to help students prepare for their college journey.

Before attending a New Student Day session (formerly launched as Live Orientation), students were encouraged to complete advising and register for classes to ensure a smooth transition into their academic tracks — this is Step 2 for new student onboarding, under the Riverbat Orientation & First-Year Experience onboarding.

Since launching its refreshed optional New Student Day in June 2026, OFYE has served 1,213 students through in-person and synchronous online sessions. As Step 3, these sessions are designed to connect students with one another, campus resources, and prepare them for a strong start at ACC.

  • 21 in-person sessions were hosted at Round Rock, Highland, Hays, South Austin, Riverside, and Eastview campuses.
  • 15 synchronous online sessions were hosted via Zoom.
  • In-person sessions lasted three hours, and synchronous online sessions lasted two and a half hours.

The office also hosted specialized sessions in partnership with the respective offices and academic departments designed for Health Sciences, Engineering & Advanced Manufacturing, Arts & Creative Industries, and transfer students.

Additionally, OFYE co-hosted the International Student Orientation in August alongside Dr. Jonathan Tyner and the International Student Affairs Office. There, they welcomed 105 students—marking the office’s largest single New Student Day session.

Peer Leaders at the Heart of First-Year Success

A cornerstone of the new office is the student Peer Leader program. Hired in May and trained to facilitate orientations, Peer Leaders co-lead sessions, host roundtable discussions, and help execute events throughout the year.

Beyond orientation week, incoming students are assigned a Peer Leader who can provide ongoing outreach, share tips and tricks via MySL, and offer peer-to-peer support throughout their first academic year.

“It was meaningful seeing students connect with one another and our OFYE Peer Leaders, while experiencing a college community working together to support them. Students shared that they felt welcomed at ACC, which was one of our primary goals,” said Royalty.

Sustained Engagement Across the Year

New Student Day is only the kickoff in OFYE’s first-year student journey roadmap. Throughout the fall and spring semesters, the office hosts a series of campuswide signature events and gatherings.

“Students may not know which office is providing support, but they recognize when the College comes together for them. Every contribution helps create that experience. Faculty and staff are essential partners in helping students get started and keep moving toward their goals. That collaboration matters well beyond orientation, throughout the first year,” said Royalty.

Early fall events have already drawn strong turnouts, including a Welcome Party at Highland Campus with 216 attendees and the Culture & Connection Fest, which welcomed 121 participants. Upcoming initiatives will focus on districtwide programming, including Legacy of Leaders in partnership with Student Life & Leadership, Riverbat Connections, Midterm Madness, and Riverbat Volunteer Week.

Looking Ahead

With a solid foundation, the OFYE leadership team continues to gather data to refine its offerings. 

“Our work is just getting started. We want students to experience continued support beyond orientation, and that will take ongoing collaboration with academic departments, Assessment & Admissions, Career Life Design, Advising, Transfer, Student Affairs Communication, and other College partners. We will keep listening and use what we learn to improve how we help students navigate their first year and move towards their goals,” said Royalty.

Looking to the future, the team aims to leverage these findings to mandate the first two steps in the Riverbat Orientation First-Year Experience for specific cohorts—such as first-time-in-college and direct-to-college students—by fall 2027.

Learn more on the Orientation & First-Year Experience webpage.