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.