LSA freshman Katie Williams walked away from her summer
orientation last year with many memories, but one night stands out
in particular.
“The last night of orientation I stayed up talking to a
couple members of (Residence Hall Repertory Theater) about Nintendo
and other recollections from childhood. The next day I fell asleep
and almost missed my registration appointment.” she said.
With summer orientation around the corner, the Office of New
Student Programs is getting ready to give incoming freshmen a taste
of University life. Unlike the summer program for international
students, the regular summer orientation will not be forced to make
major changes due to budget constraints.
“We happen to be fortunate not to have been affected by
the budget cuts,” Ann Hower, director of the Office of New
Student Programs said.
But some changes in content have been made. This year, a greater
emphasis is being given to academic integrity at the orientation
sessions.
Hower said academic integrity has always been important but this
year the program hopes to “provide a more comprehensive
message on our University’s policy.”
Those changes are based upon the responses received in the
surveys that are conducted at the end of orientation, she said.
Orientation is about making a smooth transition, personally and
academically, Hower said.
This sentiment was echoed by LSA junior Adrienne Kraft, who is
serving as summer orientation leader. She said she hopes to give
incoming freshmen “a sense of the University as home and to
make them feel comfortable as well as show them what the campus has
to offer them.”
Hower hopes this year’s orientation helps ease the
uncertainties that incoming freshmen tend to have.
“In addition to academic advising, orientation is a place
to meet new and current students, so students feel confident in
returning in the fall,” she said.
Current students recall their summer orientations with fondness.
“Basically I remember three days and two nights of partying
with the big guys,”Business School junior Jeff Perlman
said.
LSA senior Wasseem Abaza however had a different experience.
“I had the stomach flu. I was happily distracted by
everything around me to avoid the pain,” he said.
Brett Paper, an LSA sophomore, said his orientation was helpful
in adjusting to life at the University.
“I really bonded with the peer counselors. One of the
counselors was a (resident advisor) a few floors below me and it
helped the transition a lot,” he said.