Colgate University

Though students still attended pre-orientation programs in August, Colgate University made changes to the programming offered this year. The optional programs offered in 2022 included Wilderness Adventure, First@Colgate and Questbridge Scholars, WRCU Broadcast Media, Community Outreach, Journalism and Digital Media 101 with The Colgate Maroon News, Raider Pep Band, and Intro to Campus Events and Communities with Student Activities Association.

In optional pre-orientation programming this year, Colgate continued to offer Wilderness Adventure, Community Outreach, and First@Colgate and QuestBridge Scholars. The University added a new program called Sustainability of the North Country. The University did not offer WRCU Broadcast Media, Journalism and Digital Media 101 with The Colgate Maroon News, Raider Pep Band, and Intro to Campus Events and Communities with Student Activities Association.

Dean of Students Dorsey Spencer oversees the coordination of pre-orientation programs.

“These initiatives ease the transition by familiarizing students with campus life, resources, and expectations,” Spencer said. “They help build a supportive network of peers, promote a sense of belonging, and may assist with reducing some anxiety. Through workshops and activities, students develop essential soft skills like communication and self-awareness, contributing to personal growth and their ultimate success at Colgate.”

Spencer commented on the changes made this year. 

“The pre-orientation programs offered have changed from year to year,” Spencer said. “This Fall, we wanted to provide new students with the best pre-orientation experience possible, so we offered programs sponsored by various University offices with the support of upper-level student leaders.”

Spencer described the process that will be used to determine future pre-orientation programs. 

“We will review the programs offered, evaluate the experiences of students who participated, identify if there are any gaps in offerings, make the appropriate adjustments and continuously seek to improve the initiative,” Spencer said.

First-year Ella Moon attended the Wilderness Adventure program. 

“It ended up being really worth it because everyone was so nice and helpful and I got to meet some really great people,” Moon said. “I think it definitely benefited me coming into Colgate because I already knew some people I wouldn’t have known otherwise.”

Spencer and Moon both highlighted the advantages of transitioning to college having attended a pre-orientation. General Manager for WRCU and junior Cooper Lowell, having been involved in overseeing the WRCU Broadcast Media program last year, agreed with these sentiments on the purpose of pre-orientation, but explained that WRCU is struggling without its program being offered this year. 

“It’s just a huge part for community building that we kind of sorely missed this year, and we’re really feeling the effects,” Lowell said. “Just having a group of 12 to 14 students come in and really understand the place [allowed] us to really introduce them.”

Lowell explained that pre-orientation was an important part of how they recruited members, including members that continue on to have leadership positions. Three of WRCU’s board members attended the program. 

“People that went to Pre-O, they told their friends about the radio station, they were able to almost be the radio’s rep, like a good representation of what a DJ is to all the incoming first-years,” Lowell said. “It was really important having that.”

Lowell was going to be in charge of the program this year and was only informed that it was canceled a month before the end of last semester. Moving forward without pre-orientation, WRCU is implementing new methods to recruit members. 

“We’re doing an open house,” Lowell said. “We’re trying to just reach out to a lot of people, a lot of first-years to come in, see the space, meet the people that are kind of running the thing, meet other people that are part of the community that we’re having come in. We’re not planning to make it like a huge thing, but we just want the people really interested to come.”

Lowell hopes to have the program in the future, explaining that even a two-day pre-orientation would be beneficial. 

“For the future, I want to get back to where it was. I don’t think it will do that anytime soon,” Lowell said. “I would really like at least two days. It doesn’t even have to be larger events. Just two days of students coming early.”