The First Impact Program, established in 2019, is designed to provide leadership opportunities for new freshmen and new transfer students. Students selected for this program will build peer relationships, learn about campus resources and involvement opportunities, explore strength-based leadership and emotional intelligence, and build a network of peers. First Impact members are divided into groups and assigned an upperclassman mentor. Mentors are selected from the previous year’s First Impact cohort. First Impact meets twice per month during the academic year. Meetings are hosted on Tuesday nights at 5:00 p.m. Participants are required to attend meetings and workshops; for a full list of meeting times, please refer to the list below.
Learning & Programmatic Outcomes
As a result of serving as a First Impact member within the Office of Student Involvement & Leadership, students will be able to:
- Build and maintain collaborative relationships.
- Develop an action plan that supports involvement while prioritizing wellness.
- Identify and apply personal strengths and emotional intelligence to achieve involvement goals.
Minimum Requirements for Freshman Applicants:
- 2.75 high school GPA required
- Must be a first-time freshman at UAB
- Must be enrolled full-time (at least 12 hours) for the entire academic year
Minimum Requirement for New Transfer Applicants:
- 2.5 cumulative GPA required
- Must be a new transfer student at UAB
- Must be enrolled full-time (at least 12 hours) for the entire academic year
Selection Timeline
| Applications Open | Monday, August 14 |
| Applications Close | Thursday, August 31 at 11:59pm |
| Interview Signups Open (emailed to applicants) | Friday, September 8 |
| Interviews | September 11 - 15 |
| New Members Announced | Tuesday, September 19 |
First Impact Program Schedule
| Date/Time | Event/Activity |
| Tuesday, September 26 | 5pm | Workshop #1 |
| Tuesday, October 10 | 5pm | Mentor-Team Meeting |
| Tuesday, October 24 | 5pm | Workshop #2 |
| Tuesday, November 14 | 5pm | Mentor-Team Meeting |
| Tuesday, November 28 | 5pm | Workshop #3 |
| Tuesday, January 16 | 5pm | Mentor-Team Meeting |
| Tuesday, January 30 | 5pm | Workshop #4 |
| Tuesday, February 13 | 5pm | Mentor-Team Meeting |
| Tuesday, February 27 | 5pm | Workshop #5 |
| Tuesday, March 26 | 5pm | Mentor-Team Meeting (No workshop in March due to Spring Break) |
| Tuesday, April 9 | 5pm | Final Workshop |