An advertisement to join the orientation team
Courtesy of Stephanie Carpenter
BY: DAVID SCIBILIA, NEWS EDITOR
When incoming freshmen arrive on the campus of St. Bonaventure University, the first faces they see are not those of professors, admissions counselors or their peer coaches. Rather, it’s the orientation team.
“When students are coming in, they’re very anxious,” Stephanie Carpenter, assistant director of first-year programs at Bonaventure, said. “It’s important [students] have someone they can relate to, and the orientation team hopes to provide that.”
In addition to relieving stress from incoming freshmen, Ryan Surmay, co-coordinator of the orientation team, also mentions the importance of easing parents’ nerves.
“[The orientation team] gives [freshmen] the opportunity to ask their leader any questions or calm any insecurities about coming here as well as help them get adjusted and prepared for their upcoming college lifestyle,” said Surmay. “The orientation team also helps parents feel more comfortable with dropping their children off here.”
Freshman visual arts major Jalen Morales agrees that the orientation team helped ease his parents’ nerves when sending him to college.
“The resources, letters and emails they sent me were great,” Morales said. “It definitely made me and my parents more comfortable.”
Currently hiring new leaders, Carpenter is looking for strong candidates with diverse skill sets.
“I’m looking for everybody,” Carpenter said. “Everybody coming in is so diverse, so we need to be able to match that in our staff. Having someone that the students can relate to is the most important thing.”
Morales believes the orientation team succeeded in the summer 2022 session.
“Although I didn’t relate to my orientation leader, we were constantly working with other groups and meeting other leaders, and I found one I was able to talk to a lot.” Morales said. “I think they did a great job diversifying their staff. They had different races, genders and personalities; they had someone I think everyone could relate to.”
Although a diverse group is important, Carpenter places a large emphasis on energy.
“They’ll be up from morning to midnight,” Carpenter said. “Either planning activities or programming for the new students, [orientation team leaders] are always doing something.”
Beyond the time spent introducing incoming freshmen to campus, Carpenter describes the community orientation leaders build and maintain throughout the year.
“One of the things [that incentivizes people to join] is the very close, tight-knit group that’s created,” Carpenter said. “They spend two weeks together during training and often become friends which extend past just the month that they’re here.”
Surmay believes that good orientation leaders are vital to the functioning of the university.
“Becoming an orientation leader is the highest job that a student can have on campus,” Surmay said. “Along with the responsibility that comes with [the position], they are the first faces that [incoming students] see when coming to campus.”
More spots than usual have opened up on the team this year.
“We have a lot of people graduating this year,” Carpenter said. “We have to hire quite a few new people to fill the gap.”
Surmay is coming back for his second year on staff.
“I chose to come back because I saw the impact that orientation can have on students,” Surmay said. “I want to be a part of that again.”
Carpenter urges all students interested to apply.
“We are looking for such a diverse group of people that even if you’re on the fence, just apply,” Carpenter said. “I know a lot of people get turned away when they hear they have to talk in front of a lot of people, but this is a great opportunity to get over that stress and put themselves out there.”
Scibild22@bonaventure.edu
