EXPLORING AMISH CULTURE: THE IMPACT OF A FIRST SEMESTER PROGRAM FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS

This study addresses the questions, "What is the impact of a First Semester Program (FSP) on Amish culture for college students? How much content did the students learn in their FSP?" A great deal of research has been done by those who have studied the effects of a First Semester Program, for example, to determine students' rate of retention; their writing skills, study skills, social skills; their knowledge of campus organizations, events; and their success at making new friends. There is, however, a paucity of research in which students were studied to determine what students actually learn in terms of content in their FSP. In September 2009, students at The College of New Jersey completed a fourteen (14) week First Semester Program studying Amish culture. Students were assigned topics on Amish culture to present to the class in a PowerPoint presentation; they read books of fiction and nonfiction pertaining to Amish culture; they wrote skits, plays, and short stories depicting Amish culture; and the class visited an Old Order Amish farm where everyone was treated to a sumptuous, home-cooked meal and were later given a tour of an Amish farm, an Amish cemetery, and an Amish school. Students were administered a 40-item pre-survey before the class began and the same survey was given at the end of the semester. When the two surveys were analyzed, it was clear that the students benefited greatly from the 14-week course; stereotypes and myths about the Amish were mitigated; students grew to show a greater understanding and appreciation of Amish culture, and most felt that the Amish are an important part of the cultural fabric of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.