College welcomes new students with four-day Orientation

^{By: Andrew Mees, Director of College and Athletics Communications                        communications@bloomfield.edu}

With another semester set to begin, Bloomfield welcomed the newest members of its student body into the institution’s family Aug. 21-24, as the College ushered in the next class of future alumni with a four-day New Student Orientation event.

Formally a three-day occasion at the beginning of the fall term, the institution expanded the initial programming from three days to four for the 2014 installment, while also adding eight additional dates throughout the course of the academic year. The expansion is part of a concerted effort by the College to provide more year-round programming for its new students, helping them to remain engaged in Bloomfield’s diverse campus community and transition into their new lives as college students.

“A new student’s development does not stop when classes begin, which was the basis for the new programming at the heart of our Orientation,” Center for Student Leadership and Engagement director Jennifer Troxell said. “We have a made a conscious decision to encourage and enhance that development throughout the year, helping to give our students everything they need to transition more effectively and feel like they are truly a part of what we have going on here.”

Combining informational sessions and entertainment programming for both first-year and transfer students, the festivities provided newcomers with a comprehensive and enjoyable experience designed to help acclimate them to their new home.

Students and parents were treated to sessions led by Bloomfield faculty and staff, covering topics such as how to utilize their email and Blackboard accounts, understanding academic and financial aid policies, and how to plan for career success. Participants were also given the chance to further interact with faculty members during academic division lunches, providing a new informal setting for undergrads to get to know their instructors.

To supplement the educational seminars, students were also treated to a host of events including appearances by nationally prominent motivational speakers Jean-Paul Gonzalez (the man whose “All In” mantra helped lead the 2011 New York Giants to a Super Bowl title) and Dr. Robert Gilbert, and an all-day trip to Branchville, N.J.’s Stokes State Forrest.

Guiding the newest members of the campus community through the expanded Orientation process will be the College’s new “Passport to Success”, an initiative that will allow students to chronicle the journey through their first year while charting their attendance at campus events.

“Our new Passport, like our expanded Orientation model, is an initiative designed to give our students the tools they need to not only progress, but to chart that growth as they move along,” said Troxell. “We want our students to take the reins of their own development, and it is our job to provide programming and initiatives like these to help them do that. We hope to continue our expansion of our Orientation programming in the future, and we hope our new students feel more at home and at ease as they become part of our family.”