By W James
This year’s Orientation at Florida Southern College was one of the most successful orientations due to the hard work of everyone involved.
“I think what I’ve heard is that this has been a very smooth Orientation,” Emily Odio-Sutton, Student Success Specialist, said.
Odio-Sutton explained that based on the information that she has gotten many faculty members, students and staff all agreed that it was a very smooth process.
“[Orientation was] Smooth” Parker Evans, Freshmen Youth Ministry major, said. “I just didn’t know how easy it would be but blast-off really helped me meet familiar faces.”
One of the biggest contributors to making Orientation as smooth as possible were the Orientation Leaders.
“They really are the glue that keeps Orientation going. They are the student faces that are out there providing that fun experience for the students,” Odio-Sutton said.
The 60 Orientation leaders are in communication with incoming students as early as July and then are the first people the students meet once they get on campus.
Reems Landreth, an Orientation Leader, said that his favorite part of Orientation was seeing all his orientees bond together and create friendships that could will last a long time.
Other factors that helped Orientation go as smoothly as it did were the on-campus events.
Both Saturday and Sunday night saw approximately 500 first-year students attend events such as Glowball, Tutu’s Live and Roy Wood Jr’s comedy routine.
Odio-Sutton said these numbers were a positive result for the school.
“You’re looking at a good portion of the new students coming to those evening programs,” Odio-Sutton said. “That’s a big testament to the types of events that student involvement is planning but also to our Orientation leaders who are helping get students there.”
During Orientation, students meet with their academic departments to get to know their professors and what they can expect from faculty and classes.
“The Academic showcase was my favorite part because it really helped to meet my nursing teachers,” Freshmen nursing major Arianna Murdocca said.
Odio-sutton said, this year, there was a change in the schedule where students living on campus were given more time to get to know their halls and Resident Advisors.
“Feedback [we received] was that students really want to get to know their roommate and Resident Advisor,” Odio-Sutton said. “They want to feel settled.”
She said orientation is all about making the students feel welcome and at home at FSC.
“It’s their special moment, and we want them to feel like this is a great and positive weekend,” Odio-Sutton said.
Murdocca said she felt nervous when she first moved in because she didn’t know anyone.
“It was my least favorite part of orientaion,” she said. “But that all went away quickly, and I’m so happy with the people I’ve met and the school.”
Odio-Sutton said she wants freshmen to feel “that Florida Southern community,” so they can get plugged in and feel at home. She said the school continues to improve on that each year.
