Weeks before waves of incoming Warriors arrive on campus for New Student Orientation\u00a0(NSO), East Stroudsburg University\u2019s orientation leaders\u00a0begin\u00a0preparing\u00a0to make the experience a memorable one.<\/p>\n
As\u00a0hosts,\u00a0guides\u00a0and mentors\u00a0during\u00a0NSO, orientation leaders play\u00a0an important role\u00a0in\u00a0creating a friendly atmosphere and\u00a0ensuring\u00a0students and their families\u00a0feel welcomed and informed\u00a0during their first true introduction to ESU.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause New Student Orientation is such a big event, it\u2019s really important that the students representing the University put their best foot forward, and the only way to do\u00a0that\u00a0is to help them truly understand what the\u00a0University is all about,\u201d said Clarissa Maldonado, assistant director of New Student Orientation.<\/p>\n
To arm\u00a0orientation leaders\u00a0with the knowledge to answer any questions that might come up,\u00a0Maldonado\u00a0facilitates\u00a0several\u00a0weeks of training\u00a0on\u00a0the ins and outs of ESU.<\/p>\n
During one\u00a0particular training\u00a0day in late June, orientation leaders met with a faculty member about a scholarship opportunity they could share with NSO attendees. The group jotted down notes and\u00a0asked\u00a0questions\u00a0to make sure they could relay the details accurately.<\/p>\n
Next, they acted out\u00a0potential challenging\u00a0scenarios they might\u00a0encounter\u00a0during an\u00a0NSO session\u00a0and then\u00a0talked about\u00a0how to handle them calmly and professionally.<\/p>\n
All of it was evidence of the group\u2019s growth, Maldonado said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis team is so strong, and it\u2019s been so nice to see them come out of their shells and embrace this experience,\u201d Maldonado said.<\/p>\n
In addition to learning about the University\u00a0and how it works, orientation leaders also practice ice breakers\u00a0they\u2019ll\u00a0hold at NSO and\u00a0participate\u00a0in team building activities.\u00a0The overall outcome is a student who is not only a stronger orientation leader, but one with valuable life skills they can use going forward, Maldonado said.<\/p>\n
\u201cPresenting, being on stage, working with people, conflict resolution, communicating \u2013 all these soft skills are things the orientation leaders are gaining as well,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Among those gaining transferrable skills is Mardoche Jules,\u00a0a\u00a0sophomore\u00a0majoring in theatre and political science from Reading, Pa.\u00a0For\u00a0Jules,\u00a0the orientation leader role\u00a0allowed him to share his favorite things about ESU while also practicing public speaking and leadership \u2013 two important aspects of Jules\u2019 majors.<\/p>\n
\u201cI knew that I loved this school and that I wanted to become a better leader here,\u201d Jules said.<\/p>\n
Jules is among\u00a033 other\u00a0orientation leaders\u00a0from\u00a0a\u00a0multitude of\u00a0majors,\u00a0class years,\u00a0and backgrounds, giving first-year students access to a range of experiences and opinions.\u00a0Fourteen students\u00a0are serving\u00a0as orientation leaders for a second time.<\/p>\n
Leah LaBar, a senior majoring in education from Bangor, Pa.,\u00a0said she returned for another\u00a0year to continue discovering aspects of ESU she\u00a0hadn\u2019t\u00a0known about before.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s always new things you didn\u2019t know, or things you find out about by talking with other students, so I get to learn about these students and the things they\u2019ve involved with and potentially be part of that myself,\u201d LaBar said.<\/p>\n
Maldonado said orientation leaders are made up of all types of students, from those who are already heavily involved in activities to those who\u2019ve yet to break out of their comfort zone. By the end of their experience, however,\u00a0they all\u00a0typically walk away with greater confidence and a\u00a0stronger sense of belonging.<\/p>\n
\u201cOrientation leaders\u00a0really put themselves out there to get to this\u00a0position and\u00a0then go on to take leadership roles on campus, join clubs and executive boards, and it\u2019s really because they\u2019ve learned so much about campus that they now have the confidence to do those things\u00a0they might not have felt comfortable doing before,\u201d\u00a0Maldonado said.<\/p>\n
New Student Orientation begins\u00a0Tuesday, July 7, and will continue\u00a0through\u00a0the month.<\/p>\n
Learn more about\u00a0New Student Orientation<\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0admission to ESU<\/a>.<\/p>\n