eddy,
I really like having a graduate attend orientation to speak about their experience and success. It makes a huge difference.
Susan Backofen
All of our departments are involved in Orientation - career Seervices acutally runs the event with admissions providing support - Academics is involved in welcoming all the students - we have student ambassadors who guide the students through the campus - the Director of Education promotes positive attendance and the program directors give them a little peek into the fun ideas they wil be studying.
David,
This sounds like a great format!
Susan Backofen
We are a small technical school without several departments. The counselors and the instructional staff have the most interaction with the students other than admissions.
We have financial aid, department heads, career services director, externship director and the campus director available at orientation. They each have something to contribute and can answer questions as well
Our school holds what we call "Grad Prep". Every department is involved in this process. We also have our student Ambassadors there for support and assistance of the new students. Each Program Director will speak to offer what is expected in each program in order to succeed as well as answer questions about the program. Our retention rate is phenomenal and I am proud to be associated with our school as an Instructor.
The other two departments at my institution that are involved with the students is our student services and academic affairs departments. Typically the cycle of our program is admissions takes you in and forms the relationship, once enrolled admissions hands the student over to student services with the support of academic affairs. And as of right now admissions takes the student back at the end to graduate them. These three departments try to stay in constant communication with each other to ensure every students is accounted and taken care of.
Kay,
Excellent! Is the 'grad prep' in addition to or replacing your orientation?
Susan Backofen
We involve faculty, Career Services, Financial Aid, and Student Affairs (advisement, activities, athletics, learning center, etc.). At the beginning of our orientations we have tables around the room from each department where students can ask questions and take away information. By the time students attend orientation they have already dealt with Admissions, Financial Aid and Student Affairs. The student advisors schedule first week appointments with the students to answer any questions they may have or forgot to ask. Students meet a variety of people who ultimately support their success.
Could I ask what you mean by Admissions "takes the student back at the end to graduate them?"
All of the departments including education, financial aid, graduate employment, and admissions play a role during orientation. It's important that the new student be familiar with all of the team members. The new students need to know that we are ALL in this together and want the same results in the end: career and a job. The student also needs to know that they are not alone and that ALL of the departments will do their best to help the student.
We include all departments at orientation. They give an overview of the services they provide, help students with completing paperwork, etc. We also have breakout sessions where students spend time with their program directors so students can ask questions and feel more engaged with their specific programs.
Both Financial Aid and Career Services are very important departments in our school for success of the student. Financial Aid is present to answer any last minute questions or help students to understand what their loans mean. Career Services is present to offer a liftime commitment to assisting students in job searching. Being an online program, career Services also explains what there services 'look like' across the nation and abroad.
Right now, Career Services plays a large role in the orientation of new students. They present all of the program directors and department heads to new students. They also do things such as giving out candy bars with wrappers printed with the name and email of all key staff members. They show a map of the school and give each student one to take with them.
Amanda,
That's wonderful that career services play such an important role in orientation. I think keeping the 'end goal' in mind (a career) is critical to retention.
Susan Backofen
I feel all departments should be at orientation. It is good to give the students a handout with the department hours, phone numbers, email address, etc. Then the student will have a name and face to go with the departments.
I feel we do a great job here to have each of the departments come in and relay the message that they are here for the student. Student services, LRC, financial aid as well as faculty all are present at the orientation so they feel and see a united front. I think this helps with any floating questions.
two part answer:
1) Education department - Provides a high level snapshot on how things work, class readiness, brief program expectations, create excitement that the journey has begun for the student and we will help along the way.
2) Support Services - regulatory requirements that must be shared prior to the start of school. Also sharing that we have a support network to remove anxiety, answer questions, help in any way so they are not alone on day 1.
Throughout the orientation day we try and make it special and memmorable to the student.
We involve all departments at orientation, with most of the program being run by Academics or Student Experience. We task Admissions to assist only in the beginning--helping students check in and get to where their program starts, where they are handed off to the room hosts who are members of the department being discussed/running the activity in that space. Admissions advisors will typically have a student check in with them after orientation to make sure all of their questions were answered and they are excited about day 1.
Education Department. This is important because this is the group of people that the students will interact with and build relationships with the most.
