September may be months away, but more than 1,200 new students are already beginning their UMass Lowell experience.
The Smart Start Orientation is under way.
About 900 incoming freshmen arrive on campus on Monday and Thursday mornings throughout June to spend two days learning about the campus, registering for classes and bonding with their classmates. Transfers students – more than 300 of them registered so far – come in for one-day sessions on Tuesdays and Fridays.
The primary purpose is reflected in the program’s name. The orientation program is required for all students entering or re-entering the University, as it provides them with their only opportunity to register for classes. In addition, however, orientation is designed to give students the foundation they need to make a successful start in their student career.
“We try to introduce them to many aspects of the campus, including the support services available to them,” says Director of Orientation Erin Crouse. “It’s a lot for them to absorb but at least they may remember that help exists later this fall when they need it.”
Smart Start sessions are organized by college and major, so the students who meet at Orientation will see each other again in fall classes. As the numbers of incoming freshmen and transfer increases, more sessions are added rather than making each session larger. This year, sessions are scheduled into July.
The 35 orientation leaders are current undergraduate students who guide the “newbies” through their first day on campus and try to show students what life at UMass Lowell is like.
“Erin has been in charge of orientation for three years, and it has improved every year, in part because of the time she has invested in the orientation staff,” says Dean of Enrollment and Student Success Tom Taylor. “It’s a good sign to have returning orientation leaders each year. The 13 returnees provide a strong foundation for an orientation staff that is both passionate and knowledgeable about the campus and who love to share it with incoming students.”
While the freshman orientation sessions are happening now, there are simultaneous parent/family/friend (PFF) sessions. PFF orientation is an optional one-day program designed to provide some of the practical information parents and others will need to support, guide and encourage their student. The program includes an overview of academic services, activities, programs and resources available to students, and practical information regarding bills and financial aid.
- Elizabeth_James
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