Barauskas - Week 3 - Transfer Orientation

Transfer Orientation Check-in

A fellow colleague of mine recently made a comment about how serene a college campus just before the dawn, when those that work orientation are awake and preparing for the day. I would agree with this statement, but my response is that it is the calm before the storm. I was awake before the sun rose today in order to get ready and commute to MUW prior to any students getting there. When a day starts like that, it's bound to be a long one, and it was, but as I was leaving Columbus I wasn't tired. I think that's a sign that you're in the right profession. When you can work a ten hour day, without a full night of sleep, and not be tired when you're done.

Today was the second and last transfer orientation at MUW and I have to say that it was the best experience that I have had there thus far. What made it the best experience was that I was thoroughly involved throughout the day, and I really felt like I was a part of the orientation team. I attribute that to the work that my supervisor and colleagues have put in to increase the communication efforts between departments and make sure that everyone is on the same page. The picture above is of the check-in set up at MUW after all but three students have checked in (So, imagine the grey foam 'holders' completely full of name-tags).  I was able to observe this process today, and then worked late check-in for any of the students that were running behind.

As the previous presentation that  I developed was scrapped, I facilitated a session of various icebreakers with approximately 30 transfer students today. I was really impressed by their involvement and willingness to participate, as transfer students are typically less enthusiastic compared to freshmen. It was a lot of fun, and after our session we went on down to lunch and ate with the students. The day continued on in that fashion, including making connections with students and learning as much as I can about MUW, their orientation, and the culture on campus.

One of the differences that I realized between MUW and larger institutions is the attention that these students get, not only from their Orientation Leader, but from the administrative staff at MUW. This is one of the positives about being on a small campus, but the professional staff really do spend all day with these students. I really like that aspect of MUW. When I was an OL at UB the professional staff would be around throughout the day, but there were so many students, and they had so much to do that many of the students didn't even get to meet them let alone get to know them on a personal level.

I'm really glad that we have been able to work past the drama, and gain some positive experiences from my practicum. Freshman orientation on Monday, here we go!