Changing it Up
by Sarah Hamilton, Editor - in - Chief

This year there was a brand new, New Student Orientation. In past years, the new incomers went through a three day series of activities and events throughout the orientation at the beginning of the year.

However, not too much excitement or talk came about after the end of the program in the past years.

The coordinator of the New Student Orientation, Andrew Bond, had a few things to say.

"One of the most significant and noticeable changes to the New Student Orientation process is the expanded focus of the program. No longer can the program be viewed as only active between those few days students arrive to campus and begin courses. 

The office of New Student Orientation, most visibly through the tireless efforts of the Orientation Leaders, is collaboratively working with other departments and agencies within the college to ensure that each student is provided with the resources necessary to allow him/her to succeed academically and socially throughout the academic year."

This year the plan was to be “bigger and better.” The activities would be longer and the addition of the year- long leaders would make it better. A group of upperclassman volunteered their time and energy to make the new Freshman Orientation a success.

A week over the summer was set aside for training and a short two day orientation with the new freshman and transfers. The second part of the orientation would be continued when everyone returned to campus, and it would start the new year with three days of fun and activities.

The program this year was improved in order to make the college life adjustment much easier.

Sophomore Jamie Barbeau stated, “I think it is incredible how there is a program that gives new students so many options as to who they can use as resources. It's also a great program as a way to get to know people and make friends.”

Not only was the program designed to help make friends and meet people before making the big leap into college, but it also showed them that they could have someone other than their own peers to go to for anything they needed. These people are alternate options for a new student to use a resource throughout the year.

During the summer and in the fall, groups were formed and leaders were assigned. This way each student was allocated to a leader and they were their go- to guy. Throughout the year the orientation leader will meet with the student to see how their new experiences in college are going for them.

This year more time has been added and the commitment is high in order to help new students adjust to Blackburn. The program has full days of activities that include using leadership, communication, and thinking skills. The new students applied these skills in group activities such as: group discussions, games, and a play about college roommates at the end of the day.

In a comparison with last year's orientation and this years orientation, a few students felt that last year's orientation was lacking.

“I honestly didn’t like last year’s orientation. I didn’t meet as many people as I thought I was going to the first couple of days. All of that happened later on, on my own. I wish we could have had something like this last year,” said sophomore Jillian Stambaugh.

Many of the freshman and transfers had their opinion on the program.

When asked about the new orientation process, freshman Stephen Standke stated:

“Freshman Orientation was awesome. I had a lot of fun and met a lot of new people. We learned a lot of about each other right then and there, so that was cool.“

The new Freshman Orientation has received much praise from the Administration and from all of the students. This year the students had a great opportunity to meet and make new friends right from the start.