Orientation programs on college campuses across the United States exist to serve the needs of new students to transition and thrive in their new setting. Some students may arrive on campus for even more specialized programs beyond traditional orientation programs, such as athletic practice, that focus on academic courses or involve a wilderness…

Higher education often supports new student transition through various orientation programs. Recently a greater focus on student spiritual growth has emerged as an important aspect. The wilderness orientation program in this study is unique because of its length (12-14 days) and its focus on students' spiritual development. The purpose of this…

What exactly is an "outdoor orientation program?" First offered in the United States in the 1930s by Dartmouth College, outdoor orientation programs (OOPs) use adventure programming to help incoming students adjust to university or college. Typically, these programs are conducted in a wilderness or backcountry setting, are several days…

Colleges and universities across the United States are struggling with student retention and attrition (Derby & Smith, 2004; Jacobs & Archie, 2008; Tinto, 1993). As a result, theoretically supported interventions designed to encourage retention and persistence are needed. The purpose of this study was twofold: (a) to intentionally create…

A focus group was formed at Brigham Young University (Utah) to gain student perspectives on advising services and materials. The approach has helped the institution refine its materials and content to match students' developmental needs, involve students in program evaluation, and improve administrator sensitivity to student needs. (MSE)

The purpose of this study was to determine student attitudes towards a participant-centered general orientation program conducted during summer advance enrollment at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The over-all student reaction to the orientation meeting was highly positive. (Author)

Examined the effect of orientation in altering concerns of new college students. Measured the change in level of student concern about academics, finances, physical layout, university structure, social integration and identity, housing, and social relationships. Results indicated that overall student concerns were reduced for the seven areas. (RC)

The freshman orientation process at Fordham College is used to illustrate the processes and advantages of building a sense of community for freshmen, one element supporting successful advising. Among the techniques used was a Values Program, a grouping of courses to encourage learning and stimulate moral development among students. (MSE)

Many institutions are taking freshman orientation more seriously by challenging students before they start classes and giving them a more thorough introduction to campus life than ever before. The biggest changes in orientation are occurring among community colleges. Some of the experiences at Georgia Tech are described. (MLW)

This paper describes the Buddy Program for international teaching assistants (ITAs) at Michigan State University (MSU) in East Lansing and presents brief case studies of the program in action. The Buddy Program pairs new ITAs with undergraduates at MSU to help familiarize ITAs with student life at the school and help them assimilate into their new…

The School of Indigenous Health Studies at the University of Sydney (Australia) developed the Cadigal Program to improve equity of access and participation for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. The program allows lower scores on the University Admission Index or Tertiary Entrance Rank for Aboriginal applicants, who typically enter…

Following the theory that a community of practice must be comprised of three elements: domain, community, and practice (Wenger, 2001), this case study examines the extent to which a university was successful in establishing a community of learners in their orientation program for online graduate students. Specifically, it explores the objectives…

To help new students clarify goals, understand the demands of college, and successfully adjust to college life, Queensborough Community College (QCC), in Bayside, New York, developed the "Introduction to College" program. The program combines a 4-week orientation seminar with a writing-accross-the-curriculum approach to help QCC's…

The effectiveness of a California State University, Long Beach, program to prepare incoming students for university-level work and educational processes was assessed in 2 surveys of new students (n=1,100, n=1,613) and 1 of 80 who had taken the course previously. Key elements in program success were identified: course content; teaching techniques;…