Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Summer orientation prepares students, parents by-Joe Neary Political Science Sophomore And Belle Saziru Nursing Sophomore Summer Orientation at the University of South Carolina is designed to help new students and their families make the transition to university life. The transition to college from high school is a crucial time for students and family members. Attending one of Carolina’s daylong orientation programs will help answer most of your questions about college. Summer Orientation consists of a one-day pro gram on one of 19 dates in the latter part of May and all of June. Admitted undergraduate students and their families are mailed registration materials front the university in late April. The schedule of events on a Summer Orientation day includes pro grams designed specifically for students as well as their families. Students and their families experience orienta tion separately so that they can get a small glimpse as to what life wilt be like when the student leaves home for college. Having students and parents separated on an Ori entation Day allows for information to be more specif ically targeted for the audience it is being present ed to. It allows parents to share experiences and learn from more experienced families that may have al ready had a student leave for college, while students begin making friends within their new peer group. Students entering USC must take placement tests in mathematics and a foreign language the day be fore their orientation, if not previously taken during an April Super Testing Weekend. These tests occur at 2:45 p.m. and require students to bring photo iden tification. Your orientation experience is a friendly one, as you meet the highly trained Student Orientation Leaders at check-in at the Koger Center at 8:30 a.m. The Student Orientation Leaders are current un dergraduate students at the university who lead ori entation participants through the day’s activities while using their experience and knowledge to better pre pare you for USC. A short information session is held at the Koger Center covering on- and off-campus housing, student dining services, online registration, computer services and brief welcomes. It s after the morning session that students and their families begin to follow separate orientation schedules. Parents are escorted by a Student Orien tation Leader to a meeting with representatives from their student’s college and major to learn more about specific academic programs. At the same time, another group of Student Ori entation Leaders escorts the students to small group meetings. In these meetings, a Student Orientation Leader will deliver information about registration, parking, athletics, academic assistance, banking, ex tracurricular activities, dining, computer services, financial aid, the Career Center, Student Life and residence halls while answering any additional ques tions about student life at the university. After these meetings, students, parents and the orientation staff regroup for a lunch that is includ ed as part of the Orientation Program. The lunch hour is an excellent opportunity for participants to ask questions and visit the Campus Information Fair. The fair gives students and parents an opportunity to meet staff from various campus offices. You can receive your housing assignment, get information about campus parking and transportation and learn about the marching band. You can also find infor mation about ROTC programs, campus recreation, religious organizations, student media, banking op portunities, textbooks, and so much more. After lunch, students receive their placement test scores and go with a Student Orientation Leader to be advised by an academic adviser in their college. After students are advised on courses to take dur ing their first semester, a Student Orientation Leader will assist students in using the course registration system on the Internet. Students who finish this process early can have their student identification card made and take advantage of optional tours that visit both student services departments (health cen ter, library, financial aid, and career center) and residence halls. While the students are registering for classes, parents have the opportunity to learn more about their role in the college transition process from cam pus administrators and faculty through a Parent De velopment Session. There is a meeting scheduled to help families leam more about the billing of fees and payment of tuition with the Office of Student Fi nancial Services. A question-and-answer session with a panel of undergraduate students helps families leam more about the university from the student per spective. Family members are also encouraged to take ad vantage of the same optional tours as the students in the afternoon. By 5:00 p.m., family members and students should be reunited with enough informa tion from Summer Orientation to successfully kick off the student’s tenure at USC. USC’s Orientation Program doesn’t end in June. Orientation at USC is an ongoing experience through a student’s freshman year. A student’s next rite of passage into the university continues by participating in Carolina’s “Welcome Week” activ ities during their full first week on campus. A full week of activities is planned each year between the time residence halls open and classes begin to help students get involved on campus. Congratulations Iou Made It The Office of Multicultural Student Affairs (OMSA) welcomes all Freshmen to the University of South Carolina. The OMSA office exists to foster the academic, cultural and social development of ethnic minority students.. During the academic year, the office coordinates a variety of support services and endeavors to program activities that create an opportunity for you to be successful at a predominantely white institution. One such service is The Minority Assistance Peer Program (M.A.P.) i ne m.M.r. program was esTODiisnea in i?oo ot me University of South Carolina as a student based program to help minority freshmen establish strong networks that would further expose them to the opportunities available at USC. Your Success is our Success. Let a M.A.P be your guide. Don't Forget...Minority Student Welcome Monday, August 21, 2000 Russell House Theater • 6:00 p.m. For More Information, Call 777-5850 Meet Your MAP Counselors.