Beginning next week, the first batch of 4,300 incoming students will attend New Student Orientation.
This year, administrators hope to show students more paths to finding success during their time at N.C. State, according to Michael Coombes, interim director of New Student Programs.
“A few of the big things that we’ve changed is really trying to beef up some of the programming to provide very, very concentrated focus on student success,” Coombes said. “One of the things are our first-year student objectives which our institution has adopted.”
The four areas the University is emphasizing are Study Abroad, Service Learning and Leadership, Undergraduate Research and Career Development.
Activities such as studying abroad can have dramatic effects on a student’s development, Coombes said.
“We have students that go anywhere from the coast to Nicaragua,” Coombes said. “Students that go on these trips may find out that they’re tremendously interested in sustainable development, which may alter their career path and track significantly.”
Coombes said students who participate in these activities tend to be more successful than those who don’t.
“We’re really trying to get them to focus on what that student success looks like and how we can support students,” Coombes said.
Coombes said in conjunction with current national dialogue, the Orientation will also spend a significant amount of time engaging students in discussions about consent, sexual violence and other Title IX topics.
“It’s not something that our campus is immune to, so students must understand the rules of our community,” Coombes said.
Coombes said sexual violence dialogue has changed in the past few years, so the way the University handles it must evolve with the dialogue.
“It can become difficult to deliver so many messages at one time in a way that is engaging, but also meaningful,” Coombes said. “The reality is if I just say something to you, it won’t mean much. We need to engage students in order for them to understand.”
NSO will run from Monday until July 24, and students will attend based on the colleges in which they were accepted.
“Orientation is the one time that you potentially have the entire class seeing and hearing the same thing other than graduation,” Coombes said.
Similar to previous years, Coombes said incoming students will have the opportunity to hear from the college they will be enrolling in and still learn about common University values.
One of the major differences between last year’s incoming class and this year’s class will be the access to Talley Student Union.
“Having Talley back is a huge, huge bonus. Having the space, having the ability to have this as an initial welcome won’t be what I call a game-changer, but it’ll definitely have an impact.”
