Continue reading »]]> Our SOS session on March 26 was a huge success thanks to our 33 amazing Orientation Leaders and our hardworking, good-looking, enormously talent Coordinators. We welcomed 268 students and their parents into the Auburn family, and by the end of the day, despite the looming clouds and persistent chilliness, our students were gleaming in anticipation of the years to come.

Our small group sessions were held at various locations around the campus, giving our new students a snapshot of Auburn’s rustic beauty and charm. The information sessions that followed covered a number of pertinent topics, including how to find a job, how to stay healthy, and how to get involved with Auburn’s many organizations. Most of these sessions were full to bursting, indicating to us that we may have to find bigger rooms to accommodate the growing interest.

After completing their second small group session, our students were treated to a tour of Auburn’s campus, and managed to enjoy themselves despite the 49 degree weather. Lunch was provided by Chik-fil-a, and gusts of wind kept our Leaders busy with taming the billowing tablecloths.

Following lunch, we gave our students a tutorial of Auburn’s information system, tigeri, and taught them how to register for their classes. We finished the SOS day by leading our students and their parents/guests to their advisors, and capped off yet another successful orientation session.

Continue reading »]]> This week, we had a special surprise planned for our Orientation Leaders.  Our training session began with our guest speakers from the Office for Students with Disabilities. We allowed our OLs to believe that this training session would progress like any other,  little did they realize that, in keeping with the “Make Their Day” FISH principle, we had secretly planned a trip to Auburn’s esteemed Samford Hall.  Because of the exclusivity of this privilege, we knew that this adventure would make their day since not just anyone is given a guided tour of Samford Hall.  After splitting the OLs into two groups of 16, we took the first group and began the walk to Samford.  We met Mr. Gregory Parsons in the lobby, and he gave us a guided tour of Samford Hall, beginning with the ornately decorated lobby and ending in the clock tower with an on-top-of-the-world view of the campus.  Pictures were taken, memories were made, and the OLs headed back to Foy excitedly scanning through pictures and recounting their adventure.  The second group, completely unaware of the surprise, had taken their Auburn Knowledge test during the absence of the first group.  As the first group began their test, we led the second group to Samford.

I made sure to note the changes in the OLs’ demeanors as they realized what they were in for, and what stood out most to me were their smiles.  Don’t get me wrong, they were happy to be at Foy for another fun training session, but when our attempt at making their day proved successful, they were all smiles.  During our wrap-up discussion, I pointed out the similarity between this training session and an SOS session; noting that while every transfer student is excited to become a part of the Auburn family, it’s always important to show them that Auburn truly appreciates their talent and diversity.  Just as the Coordinators and FYE staff appreciate our OLs, Auburn appreciates its transfer students.  The purpose of the adventure to Samford Hall was to make our OLs’ day, allowing them to feel a sense of genuine elation and thus reciprocate that feeling within their transfer students.