FYE leaders support first-year students through the difficulties of transitioning to college by providing ample opportunities for socializing, destressing, and recharging. We asked Dana Blatte ’26, a FYE leader since fall 2024, to share her experience with the program.
What made you get involved with FYE?
Dana Blatte ’26
Majors: Anthropology and Creative Writing
Hometown: Sharon, Mass.
When I was a first-year, I participated in a lot of FYE events to take advantage of all the programming that felt like it was special and targeted toward me. I think I needed that as a first-year. I was a little scared of interacting in spaces dominated by upperclassmen, and so I appreciated that there were spaces carved out just for first-year students.
I’m an introvert, so I never saw myself as someone who could lead such an extroverted job. It requires a lot of people skills, but I feel like it’s been exposure therapy for me. I had some ideas about social life and how to host events for people like me who are more introverted, as well as events for extroverts.
“I was a little scared of interacting in spaces dominated by upperclassmen, and so I appreciated that there were spaces carved out just for first-year students.”
What do you get out of working for FYE?
It sounds cliché, but it’s a really great opportunity to meet people. As an upperclassman, especially in smaller majors as you progress along, it gets harder to interact with underclassmen because you’re in separate classes and you have your established friend groups. So, I really look forward to meeting them, and I’ve been told I’m a good listener.
Also, my friends tell me that I live in my email inbox way too much, and I’m almost too observant. I always know what’s happening on campus. I thought that I could share this knowledge directly with first-year students who aren’t plugged in the same way I am.
What do first-years seem most excited about?
First-years love off-campus trips. It’s refreshing to get off-campus, especially the farther you can get. It teaches people about what’s around the College, especially because people tend to get trapped in Clinton, which is its own unique area. Right before Halloween, we took a group of first-years to see Rocky Horror Picture Show at the Rome Capitol Theater, which is this beautiful, historic one-room theater. Right before the show, there was an outdoor market, too.
“First-years really enjoy getting off-campus and having opportunities to explore ... but knowing that there’s still peers looking out for them.”
While first-years are younger, they’re still adults. I think FYE provides the opportunity to explore in a confined setting but without necessarily being supervised like you might have been in high school. We make sure they all safely get there and back, but once we’re there, we’re like, “Here’s your ticket. You’re free.” They could walk three blocks away and go to a restaurant if they wanted. First-years really enjoy getting off-campus and having opportunities to explore without being closely monitored but knowing that there’s still peers looking out for them.
What do you think first-years get out of FYE events?
In the same way I get relationships out of it, I hope that first-years do too. Even if it’s not necessarily with us leaders, because they might only see us for a little bit, but hopefully they meet other first-years or use these events as an opportunity to socialize with their existing friends and develop closer relationships with each other.
Posted December 1, 2025
