For incoming freshmen, college orientation will be anything but traditional. 

Jarriae Anderson, a rising senior and orientation leader at DePaul University, said what started as a normal application process quickly took an unexpected turn. 

“The application and interview process happened as normal since it took place prior to lockdown,” she said. 

After colleges across the U.S. went remote due to COVID-19, so did activities facilitated over the summer. 

“Training took place mainly over Zoom calls with all of the staff and orientation leaders,” Anderson said. “A lot of things did change, such as how many training days we had and some of the content we learned in training, [were] different in order for it to fit the digital space that we found ourselves in.” 

Traditional in-person orientation, which opens in June and ends in August, is structured over the course of two days. 

“This year, however, that’s been cut down to just one-hour small group sessions followed by outreach,” Anderson said. 

Outreach allows students to connect with their orientation leaders one-on-one. 

“Outreach can take form in many ways, such as one-on-one Zoom calls or emailing, but our main platform for doing outreach is through a texting program,” Anderson said. “During my orientation, I remember at the end feeling really comfortable with my orientation leader and feeling like she was someone who I could reach out to if I needed help, so it has been difficult trying to foster that same feeling in only an hour.”

Katy Weseman, the associate director of the Office of New Student and Family Engagement, shares a similar sentiment. 

“When the campus closed in March we began planning to pivot our orientations – which are in-person in a typical summer – to a completely virtual experience,” she said. “This summer, orientation includes three components: a pre-orientation online module; a virtual Premiere or virtual Transition DePaul session; and virtual meeting with an academic advisor to register for courses. This summer, orientation includes three components: a pre-orientation online module; a virtual Premiere or virtual Transition DePaul session; and virtual meeting with an academic advisor to register for courses.”

To ensure inclusion and excitement for incoming students, activities to engage students are still taking place.

“Our virtual Premiere and virtual Transition session focus on connection and community,” Weseman said. “This virtual Educational Theatre Company production features monologues from five of our Orientation Leaders; they share their own identities and experiences in monologues.” 

For transfer students, similar activities are implemented to address any questions.

“Virtual Transition DePaul features a Q&A panel portion with three of our Orientation Leaders who transferred to DePaul – we call the panel ‘Ask a Transfer Student,’” Weseman said. “Through the Educational Theatre Company and Ask a Transfer Student, we hope that incoming students see pieces of themselves represented.”

Despite the obstacles for staff and faculty, working together has allowed them to create the most effective orientation under the given circumstances. 

“I am incredibly fortunate to work with such a caring and dynamic team of staff and faculty at DePaul,” Weseman said. 

Anderson reminds students that, although the circumstances are not ideal, they should still treat their first year as freshmen have in the past. 

“Still try to put your best foot forward and still try to get involved,” Anderson said. “Remote learning can be difficult to navigate, and what helped me through it was my fellow classmates going through it with me. No one understands what you’re going through but each other so talk, engage, and have fun.”