Pathfinders Summer Program

Find Your People. Find Your Purpose. Find Your Path. 

The Pathfinders Summer Leadership Program is a cohort-based leadership experience designed for incoming Augusta University students who are ready to connect, grow, and discover their leadership potential. 

Pathfinders begin before your first semester and continue throughout your first year, giving you the opportunity to start college with a community already beside you. 

You don't have to see yourself as a leader yet. Pathfinders are designed for emerging leaders - students who are curious, motivated, ready to grow, and interested in discovering how they can make an impact at AU and beyond. 

 

Application link coming soon! 

Questions? Contact the Office of Student Leadership & Organizations at Augusta University. 

Your Pathfinders Experience

Your Pathfinders experience begins on Tuesday with New Student Orientation, where you'll officially begin your transition to Augusta University alongside your Pathfinder cohort. 

That same day, you'll move into your on-campus accommodations and begin an immersive residential leadership experience that continues through Saturday. 

Throughout the week, you'll participate in many different experiences, and by Saturday, you'll leave with more than an Orientation experience. You'll have new friendships, campus connections, greater confidence, and a clearer vision for how you want to experience Augusta University.

Leadership & Self-Discovery

Explore your strengths, values, leadership style, and the experiences that have shaped who you are.

Campus Connection

Get to know Augusta University, explore opportunities to get involved, and connect with student leaders, faculty, staff, and campus resources. 

Community & Belonging

Build relationships with other incoming freshmen and begin creating your AU community before your first semester even starts.

Teamwork & Leadership Skills

Strengthen your communication, collaboration, problem-solving, and confidence through interactive leadership experiences.

Purpose & Impact

Begin thinking about how your interests, education, involvement, and leadership can make a difference at AU and in the communities around you. 

 

Summer: Just the Beginning

Pathfinders isn't a one-week experience. It's a cohort that grows with you. 

When you return for the fall semester, you'll reconnect with your Pathfinders cohort and continue your journey through a shared INQR 1000 first-year experience course. 

Throughout your first year, Pathfinders will also participate in monthly cohort meetings, leadership development experiences, campus events, and opportunities to stay connected and involved at AU. 

Your cohort becomes a community you can learn with, grow with, and lean on as you navigate your first year. 

 

Your Leadership Pathway at AU 

Pathfinders can also serve as the beginning of a larger leadership journey through Augusta University's Certificate of Leadership (COL). 

The Certificate of Leadership is an academic credential available to undergraduate students regardless of major. Pathfinders will be introduced to the COL pathway and have opportunities to intentionally continue developing their leadership inside and outside of the classroom. 

Pathfinders

Discover Your Leadership. 

Begin with New Student Orientation and the Pathfinders Summer Leadership Experience. Discover your strengths, build your community, and start exploring what leadership means to you. 

INQR 1000

Build Your Foundation.

Continue learning alongside your cohort while exploring college success, academic and career goals, campus involvement, and the resources available to help you thrive. 

AU INFLUENCERS

Expand Your Influence.

After completing LDRS 2000, Pathfinders will have the opportunity to apply for AU Influencers—a next-level leadership development experience for students ready to sharpen their skills, expand their campus connections, and grow their impact. 

Why Become a Pathfinder?

Starting college is exciting—but it's also a lot of new things at once. 

Pathfinders gives you an opportunity to begin your AU experience with a head start. 

As a Pathfinder, you will: 

  • Arrive at AU with a built-in community of fellow incoming freshmen 
  • Experience New Student Orientation alongside your cohort 
  • Live on campus during the summer leadership experience 
  • Discover your strengths and begin developing your leadership identity 
  • Connect with current student leaders, faculty, staff, and campus resources 
  • Explore student organizations and ways to get involved 
  • Develop communication, teamwork, and problem-solving skills 
  • Continue with your cohort through a shared INQR 1000 course 
  • Participate in monthly Pathfinders meetings and experiences throughout your first year 
  • Explore a pathway toward the Certificate of Leadership.
  • Have the opportunity to continue your development through AU Influencers 

You don't need a leadership title. You just need to be ready to discover what's possible. 

 

The Pathfinders Experience at a Glance 

WHO: Incoming Augusta University freshmen 

WHAT: A cohort-based summer and first-year leadership development experience 

WHEN: Begins with New Student Orientation and the residential summer leadership experience; continues throughout the academic year 

WHERE: Augusta University 

SUMMER EXPERIENCE: Tuesday–Saturday 

RESIDENTIAL: Yes. Pathfinders stay on campus throughout the summer experience. 

FIRST-YEAR COMMITMENT: Shared INQR 1000 course + monthly Pathfinders cohort meetings and experiences 

COST: $125 

Frequently Asked Questions

No filter applied.

Pathfinders is designed for incoming freshmen who have been admitted to Augusta University and are interested in building connections, becoming involved, and developing their leadership potential. 

You do not need previous leadership experience to apply. 

Yes. New Student Orientation serves as the official kickoff to the Pathfinders Summer Leadership Program. Pathfinders will attend the designated Orientation session together as a cohort. 

Yes. Pathfinders is a residential summer experience. Students move into their Pathfinders accommodations on Tuesday and remain on campus through Saturday. 

No! The summer experience is the beginning of your Pathfinders journey. 

Students continue together through a shared INQR 1000 course and participate in monthly cohort meetings, events, and leadership development experiences throughout their first year. 

Yes. A non-refundable program fee of $125 is required to confirm participation. Additional payment information will be provided to selected students. 

No. New students with dorm assignments will stay in the dormitory assigned by the housing department. 

 

 

Important Dates

Applications Open

  • November 2026

Application Deadline

  • March 2027

Virtual Information Session

  • February 2027

Payment/Fee Due Date

  • May 2027

Move-In + New Student Orientation

  • June 2027

Pathfinders Summer Leadership Experience

  • June 2027

Leadership Recognition Ceremony

  • June 2027

Move-Out

  • June 2027