FIRE 1000: Freshmen Introduction to Reasoning Essentials is a cornerstone of Gordon State College’s first-year experience and a vital component of the institution’s student success ecosystem. Launched in 2017, FIRE 1000 is a required course for all new and transfer students entering with fewer than 13 credit hours. The course is designed to build the habits of mind, self-awareness, and critical reasoning skills that promote long-term academic success, persistence, and personal growth.
FIRE 1000 helps students develop academic self-efficacy, intellectual curiosity, and problem-solving ability through a combination of research, reflection, and engagement with the campus community. Students explore questions of identity, purpose, and belonging while gaining tools to navigate college successfully.
KPIs:
KPI 1. ABC rates in all GSC FIRE 1000 courses
KPI 2. Persistence to next semester (all students and students with grades of ABC)
Baseline measure (for each KPI):
KPI 1. Percentage
KPI 2. Percentage
Current/most recent data (for each KPI):
KPI 1.
60.8 - Fall 2022
65.6% - Fall 2023
63.3% - Spring 2024
78.4% - Fall 2024
79.81% - Spring 2025
KPI 2. No Data
84.8% all / 95.9% ABC - Fall 2022
60.7% all / 81.2% ABC – Spring 2023
80.4% all / 94.3% ABC - Fall 2023
60.8% all / 83.0% ABC – Spring 2024
86.2% all / 94.3% ABC - Fall 2024
72.0% all / 85.8% ABC – Spring 2025
Goal or targets (for each KPI):
KPI 1. 80% ABC rate for Fall 2025
KPI 2. 80% all and 95% ABC
Over the past six months, Gordon State College has continued to refine and expand the FIRE 1000 course as a cornerstone of the College’s first-year experience. Guided by assessment data and student success priorities, the College has implemented several initiatives to improve outcomes and strengthen engagement.
In Summer 2024, Dr. Steve Raynie and Dr. Valerie Calhoun introduced A Reflective Approach to Critical Thinking and Student Success, a textbook written specifically for FIRE 1000. Following its adoption in Fall 2024, course pass rates rose above 80%, reflecting improved alignment between course content, learning objectives, and student needs.
To further enhance support for first-year students, Gordon State College was awarded a Title III grant in October 2024. This grant focuses on improving the FIRE 1000 program and expanding student success initiatives. Under this funding, the College launched a peer mentorship component in Fall 2025, pairing five student mentors with five FIRE sections. Although the pilot began two to three weeks into the semester due to funding delays, it represents an important step toward the long-term goal of pairing all FIRE sections with student mentors. These mentors—academically successful GSC students—serve as supplemental instructors, host workshops and office hours, and provide near-peer guidance to first-year students. The Title III Coordinator, now hired, oversees the program, while recruitment for a Title III Assistant is still underway.
The Title III grant also supported a successful Summer Bridge program in Summer 2025, serving 30 at-risk incoming students. This two-week initiative featured a team-taught FIRE 1000 course, leadership development, and structured peer mentoring. The program achieved a 97% success rate, underscoring the effectiveness of early, intensive engagement prior to the start of the fall semester.
Although a new instructional unit on Artificial Intelligence (AI) was planned last year, implementation has been postponed. The unit—currently being developed by Dr. Raynie and Professor Calhoun—will focus on the ethical use of AI in academic and professional contexts, helping students engage with emerging technologies responsibly.
Together, these initiatives demonstrate Gordon State College’s continued progress in transforming FIRE 1000 into a more comprehensive and impactful first-year experience course. Through curriculum enhancement, the addition of peer mentorship, and new opportunities for early engagement, the College is strengthening student belonging, confidence, and academic achievement.
In the coming year, Gordon State College will continue strengthening FIRE 1000 as a central component of its first-year student success ecosystem. A key enhancement will be the addition of a new module on Artificial Intelligence (AI), focusing on how to use AI ethically and effectively in academic and professional contexts. This unit, developed by Dr. Steve Raynie and Professor Valerie Calhoun, will help students engage thoughtfully with emerging technologies and understand their implications for learning and career readiness.
Following recommendations from the National Institute for Student Success (NISS), the College will also work to better integrate FIRE 1000 within the broader first-year support network, ensuring closer alignment with professional advising, faculty mentoring, and career services. This coordination will create a more seamless and consistent experience for new students, reinforcing Gordon State College’s comprehensive approach to first-year engagement and retention.
The College will also expand its peer mentor program, building on the Fall 2025 pilot that paired five student mentors with five FIRE sections. By Spring 2026, every FIRE 1000 section will be paired with a trained peer mentor who provides academic support, hosts workshops, and assists instructors in fostering student success.
Additionally, Steppingblocks will be more intentionally integrated with Career Services, faculty mentoring, and internship preparation, allowing students to connect classroom reflection with real-world career pathways.
Finally, the College will expand its Summer Bridge Program in Summer 2026, offering FIRE 1000 to 70 incoming students—including 56 participants in the Title III program and 14 engineering students in the Highlander Scholars program. These students will also take POLS 1101, creating an enriched academic experience that promotes early connection, confidence, and college readiness.
Collectively, these initiatives will make FIRE 1000 a more connected, practical, and impactful first-year experience—one that supports students’ academic growth, sense of belonging, and long-term success at Gordon State College and beyond.
CHALLENGES:
Implementing the plan for the year ahead presents several key challenges. The expansion of the peer mentor program will require careful coordination of recruitment, training, and supervision to ensure consistency across all FIRE 1000 sections. Managing this growth while maintaining program quality will depend on sustained support from the Title III Coordinator and the successful hiring of the Title III Assistant.
Additionally, the introduction of the new AI module will require thoughtful curriculum integration and faculty preparation to ensure instructors are comfortable teaching ethical and effective AI use. Aligning FIRE 1000 more closely with advising, mentoring, and career services will also demand increased communication and collaboration across departments.
Finally, expanding the Summer Bridge Program to serve 70 students will require additional logistical planning, instructional staffing, and resource allocation. Addressing these challenges will be essential to maintaining the high quality of the FIRE 1000 experience while scaling its reach and impact.
SUPPORTS NEEDED:
Gordon State College would benefit from University System Office support in expanding and sustaining the FIRE 1000 initiative. Key areas include providing professional development resources on first-year experience best practices, guidance on integrating AI literacy and ethics into core curricula, and opportunities to collaborate with peer institutions implementing similar student success models. Continued system-level support for Title III alignment and assessment would also strengthen the long-term impact of FIRE 1000 and related first-year programs.
