Orientation Leaders from East Stroudsburg University took first place in the National Orientation Directors Association (NODA) Region 8 Conference Case Study Competition on April 18, at West Virginia University (WVA), Morgantown , W.Va. The conference, "On a Track Toward Gr8tness," was held April 16 -18. ESU was among 30 colleges and universities from the Mid-Atlantic States participating in the conference and competition.
Orientation Leaders are ESU's peer contacts with incoming students, who welcome parents, students, and families to campus during summer orientation programs, which are required for all new, transfer, or re-admitted students. These student leaders offer new students and their family members valuable information about university policies, services, and programs available in order to provide a smooth transition to life away from home and to facilitate the adjustment to higher education. Orientation leaders also assist new students during their first semester on campus, primarily as mentors during the first four weeks of the fall semester.
Orientation Leaders at ESU are selected based on their academic performance, their involvement in campus activities, and a series of interviews with campus administrators. This diverse group of students, which represents a wide variety of programs of study, class years, hometowns, ethnicities, and cultures at ESU, serves as leaders, mentors, and ambassadors for the entire campus community.
The Case Study Competition was an opportunity for student Orientation Leader teams from colleges and universities to exercise their decision-making, creativity, and orientation experience skills. The teams studied a hypothetical case about orientation diversity programming and a related problem affecting the student audience's personal and social interaction. The teams developed a presentation in response to the case, presented it to a panel of judges, was assessed, and was offered feedback from the judges' panel.
Students representing ESU in the competition were: Monique Aquila, a sophomore marine science major from Northampton, Pa. ; Kaitlyn Cruts, a sophomore English-secondary education major from Newton, N.J. ; Christopher James, a sophomore psychology major from East Stroudsburg, Pa. ; and Jennifer Welsh, a senior physical education major from Phillipsburg, N.J.
In addition to the Case Study Competition, the conference included information about new trends, research, staff training, and programming related to orientation and transition for new university students and parents. The keynote speaker for this year's conference was Jonathan Sprinkles, author and 2006 National College Speaker of the Year as named by the Association for the Promotion of Campus Activities. Sprinkles' keynote address, "How to be a Change-Maker: How to BE the change and SEE the change you want on your campus," focused on how some institutions stay strong and why others are less successful.
Sprinkles also offered orientation leaders some advice on how to change the culture of their campus.
Five learning outcomes were established for those attending the conference. Those outcomes included: identification of NODA resources including leadership, publications and associate members; creation of a collegial support network of orientation professionals, graduate and undergraduate students; identification of new programming that meets the needs of the students on each respective campus; identification of specific trends and issues to be incorporated in campus training to enhance staff performance and supervision; and identification of new programming that meets the needs of the student body on each respective campus. Programs to address these outcomes fit into one of six conference tracks: issues of diversity; transfer student, two-year institution and military, issues; continuing retention activities, including extended orientation and first year experience programs and courses; crisis management and threat assessment; new orientation leader issues; and returning orientation leader issues.
Other ESU students and staff who participated in the conference were: Tanisha Blount, a sophomore elementary – special education major from Philadelphia, Pa.; James Burke, a sophomore computer science major from Stroudsburg, Pa.; Yamu Jagne, a sophomore biology major from East Stroudsburg, Pa.; Kailah King, a freshman athletic training major from Glenside, Pa.; Elizabeth Matthews, a sophomore health and physical education major from Wayne, N.J.; Shalea McLaughlin, a freshman undeclared major from East Stroudsburg, Pa.; Felicia Revero, a freshman theater major from Sewell, N.J.; Danielle Simcic, a sophomore political science major from Whitehall, Pa.; Erica Wells, a sophomore communication studies major from East Stroudsburg, Pa.; Ashley Puderbach, a graduate student in reading from Washington Township, N.J.; and, Kristin Schnell, a graduate student in speech pathology and audiology from Lehighton, Pa. Puderbach and Ms. Patricia Kashner, assistant to the president for enrollment management and director of orientation & new student programs, were members of the conference committee.
Burke, Puderbach, and Schnell presented a conference program, "Jump on the Diversity Train," a look at how ESU incorporates diversity programming into its Orientation sessions. Kashner presented a conference program, "Supervising Millennials: Bridging the Communication Gaps among Boomers, X-ers and Millennials in the Workplace."
The mission of NODA is to provide education, leadership, and professional development in the fields of college student orientation, transition, and retention. Its core values include: community, diversity, integrity, learning, scholarship, and service. NODA is an international association comprised of professional administrators, students, faculty, and related organizations. The Association strives to attract a pluralistic membership and leadership, and it endeavors to facilitate the professional development of its members. NODA is further dedicated to inter-association cooperation, the advancement of professional and ethical standards, and the production of scholarly works.
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