Retention of students in university or other postsecondary education programs is a common problem for many institutions, with retention from first year to second year of study being particularly problematic in Canada and the United States. A number of factors are known to affect retention, and a number of measures have been identified which can help improve retention. Kuh (2008) has developed a list of high-impact educational practices that increase student satisfaction, success, and retention. One key method that helps students adjust to the transition from high school to university is a first-year experience course. This article describes a course called "The First-Year Experience: Mapping our Communities," designed on a theme of asset mapping. The metaphor of mapping allowed us to carefully and intentionally integrate a variety of layered pedagogical goals with a number of Kuh's high-impact strategies. The mapping metaphor extended from physical mapping of the university campus as a space to the mapping of academic and social resources, including mapping of the students' sense of self and goals, their new environment, and all the assets available to help them succeed. To provide students with a critical analysis of their own knowledge and skills and their limits, the theme of asset mapping also encompassed different world views and perspectives. Our research assesses the success of this course at meeting its many intertwined goals, based on both quantitative and qualitative data collected from students in two recent course offerings.