First-Year Orientation and Programming
The Office of the First Year is off to a great start with the Class of 2025 for the academic year, both on a macro and micro scale.
In August, we hosted a fully in-person Orientation program. As in past years, the program consists of several parts: First Year Pre-Orientation Programs (FPOPS); International Student Orientation; New Student Orientation; Transfer Student Orientation; Parent and Family Orientation.
Our incoming class this year really wanted an in-person Orientation to help them understand campus, see it for the first time (for many of them), and get to know their classmates, peers, and faculty face-to-face instead of on a screen. Students started arriving to campus in mid-August for their FPOPs, which were put on by many offices in the OVC, DSL, academic departments, and others. Orientation events were very well attended and engaging for all of our different audiences. Students overwhelmingly noted in their assessments that their favorite session was our diversity session hosted by Rev. Jamie Washington M.Div, Ph.D.
Overall, Orientation 2021 was an absolute success, and we could not have executed such a large scale event without the help of our fantastic colleagues. From everyone in the OFY, thank you for helping us create an on-campus experience that our students needed!
To continue providing our nearly 1,200 new students with in-person programming, the Office of the First Year has started their First Year Hub events for the fall. Each Tuesday from 11 AM – 1 PM, the Office of the First Year is stationed outside between the Z Center and the Student Center to meet with first-year students, connecting them to resources and different offices, and creating an environment where they can learn about how not only to survive in their first year here, but to truly thrive. Anyone who is interested in partnering with us on a First Year Hub event should reach out to Michael Santoro at msan@mit.edu to talk about potential co-hosting and more!
— Michael Santoro, OFY