Shae West成人头条 introduces incoming college freshmen to campus through orientation programs such as the Honors WU Camp.
William Vanderburgh, interim director of the Emory Lindquist Honors Program and director of the Center for Teaching and Research Excellence, said incoming freshmen are nervous about college.
鈥淭hey are on their own for the first time, in charge of their own learning and living, in a brand-new and sometimes intimidating environment,鈥� Vanderburgh said.
Kim Sandlin, assistant director of admissions, said incoming students often don鈥檛 understand how to navigate campus, are unfamiliar with academic policies and are challenged by their new responsibilities as a college student.
鈥淭he mission of the orientation program at WSU is to excite new students about being part of the Shocker community and aid in their academic and social transition to WSU,鈥� Sandlin said.
She also said students who don鈥檛 attend miss out on learning about important aspects of WSU programs.
鈥�(They) don鈥檛 understand things like why checking their myWSU e-mail account regularly is important,鈥� she said, 鈥渁nd some don鈥檛 know they have a WSU e-mail account until they attend.鈥�
Orientation also introduces services such as the Shocker Alert System, and how to access information, pay for classes and read tuition bills.
鈥淥rientation lets new students know they are not alone,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd that WSU is a welcoming, supportive and exciting learning environment.鈥�
But Honors WU Camp is different from regular orientation because academic components and structured social activities are incorporated with the usual information sessions.
鈥淲U Camp offers a much more in-depth introduction to WSU,鈥� Sandlin said, and it鈥檚 only for incoming honors students.
These students must have a 3.5 GPA or a 26 ACT score and have been accepted into the Honors Program.
Vanderburgh said all 90 students attending the orientation had been accepted into the honors program at WSU.
Activities during the 2009 Honors WU Camp included a scavenger hunt, information sessions, reading assignments and discussions.
Vanderburgh said the camp was structured to allow students to experience what honors college classes are like and to have intellectual dialogue with other students.
Aaron Tilden, graduate of Free State High School in Lawrence, said he applied to the honors program to take advantage of the individual-based teaching style, and he attended Honors WU Camp to experience college honors classes.
Orientation leaders helped facilitate Honors WU Camp. The veteran WSU students go through a one-week training program to prepare them to lead activities, such as learning styles and time management.
Second-year orientation leader Arleigh Aldrich said the orientation is a way to connect students with their future classmates and help them find resources on campus.
Incoming honors freshman and finance major Sara White said Honors WU Camp answered her questions.
鈥淚t helped me learn a lot about what it鈥檚 going to be like in college,鈥� White said.