The first-year experience for students enrolled in an online degree program, particularly the orientation and the first course experience, is critical to success and completion. The experience of one online university in improving persistence through enhancing orientation and the first academic course is presented. Factors impacting persistence are identified and the development of a university orientation seminar and the foundations for graduate study course are explored. The positive results of this first-year effort are presented along with implications for continued improvement and for distance education.