April 30,
2007
Orientation leaders help freshmen make the leap from
home to campus
This summer’s orientation leaders: (left to
right) Sharon Barney ’08,
Eric Campbell ’08, Hannah McKillop ’10, and Neal Burns ’08 (front).
Eric Campbell ’08, Hannah McKillop ’10, and Neal Burns ’08 (front).
Leaving behind high school friends and Mom’s
cooking can prove to be stressful for incoming freshmen. That’s why
the University has a team of student orientation leaders whose job it is to
make summer orientation as smooth as possible for incoming students.
“Orientation is really planting the seeds of
what they are going to need the first year and beyond,” says Alecia
Matthews, associate director of academic support and director of
orientation.
With a mix of some experience and a lot of fresh
perspective, this group of orientation leaders—Neal Burns ’08,
Sharon Barney ’08, Eric Campbell ’08, and Hannah McKillop
’10—were chosen to lead the program.
Matthews says this year the focus is on elevating all
of the successful work already in place and finding ways to enhance current
programming.
“This group is really going to bring a new
dynamic to a system that is already working well,” Matthews adds.
One of the main goals for the orientation leaders is
to offer incoming freshmen, transfer students, and their parents a wide
range of activities during the week leading up to Labor Day in order to
build lasting relationships and provide an overview of academic and
extracurricular opportunities offered at the University.
The orientation leaders say it’s important that
the process not be stressful for parents or students. They say the emphasis
should be on getting to know classmates and having fun.
“I think it’s important for people to
be social. We need to maximize those experiences,” Burns says.
The orientation leaders are chosen for their strong
leadership skills and their thorough knowledge of the River Campus, but
most importantly, for their charismatic attitude. The group says they are
already energized for the summer experience.
Burns, from Irondequoit, is working towards a double
major in music and economics. He is involved in various on-campus
music groups, including singing with the Midnight Ramblers and playing
trumpet in the University Wind Symphony.
Barney, an English major from Evans Mills, N.Y., is a
member of Women’s Caucus and is actively involved in the a cappella
group After Hours, where she serves as Web publisher and administrative
director. She also works as an office assistant in the psychiatry
department at Strong Behavioral Health. She brings some seniority to the
group since she participated in the 2005 and 2006 summer orientations and
has been involved with hosting prospective students since freshman year.
Campbell, an environmental science major hailing from
Chevy Chase, Md., plays goalie for the UR Club soccer team, sings in Off
Broadway On Campus, works at the Campus Times, and is a member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity.
McKillop, from Syracuse, plans to major in psychology
with a minor in studio arts. Outside of the classroom, she holds the
position of social coordinator of the student environmental action group
Grassroots, is a member of the varsity volleyball team, and works at the
Java City coffee cart in Rush Rhees Library.
The group will officially kick off their
duties—an intensive three-month project of preparing and
planning—on May 23. But each member is already brainstorming ways to
make this year’s orientation better for new students. Their work is
supported by many administrative units, including Residential Life,
Admissions, Alumni Relations, and Academic Support.
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