Tammi Perez-Rice (University of Texas, Austin) and Amy Mathis (University of Nevada, Las Vegas)
Abstract
In partnership with the Dana Center’s Launch Year Initiative at the University of Texas at Austin—now collaborating with over 26 states—Nevada is advancing a joyful, discovery-driven first-year experience through a new statistics pathway. Building off the state’s recommendations, a working group representing eight 2- and 4-year institutions co-developed student learning outcomes for an entry-level statistics course with no prerequisites, alongside outcomes for a corequisite support course for students identified for additional support. This session shares the why, the blueprint, and early lessons from cross-sector collaboration, highlighting how statistics invites curiosity, strengthens quantitative reasoning, and broadens access to credit-bearing math in the first year. Attendees will leave with adaptable SLO templates, stakeholder engagement strategies, and practical steps to launch or refine statistics pathways that spark joy and sustained discovery for diverse learners.