Syracuse Welcome 2016, Syracuse University’s new student orientation program, will be similar to last year’s program.

The schedule of events will closely mirror last year’s orientation, but will feature at least one new addition: a Transfer Student Welcome on Thursday.

Carrie Abbott, director of First-Year and Transfer Programs, said she and others found transfer students had a lot of SU-specific questions. The Transfer Student Welcome will provide an opportunity for these students to ask questions. Most transfer students aren’t in residence halls, so they don’t get the opportunity to ask questions during floor meetings or other gatherings, Abbott said.

Thursday’s events will kick off with New Student Convocation, immediately followed by a picnic on the Quad for students and their families and ending with Home to the Dome.

Academic events will be held on Friday, giving students a chance to hear from the deans of their respective colleges as well as faculty and staff. Citrus in the City will be held on Saturday and will introduce students to the city of Syracuse, Abbott said.

The schedule reflects a change made last year allowing students to first connect with the larger SU community on Thursday and then with their home schools and colleges on Friday.

“Our goal is to help students in their transition to Syracuse University by meeting peers, by connecting with their schools and colleges and connecting to the city,” Abbot said.

Juwan Thompson, a junior marketing and entrepreneurship and emerging enterprises dual major, is one of 44 Orientation Leaders who will be facilitating Syracuse Welcome 2016.

Thompson decided being an Orientation Leader would be a natural segue after running last year’s pre-orientation program. He said it will give him the opportunity to interact with new students and be in touch with their experiences.

“I think that’s what’s special about Orientation Leaders, it’s that it’s all 44 of us. It’s the impact that we all have. It’s the fact that we all collaboratively work together,” Thompson said. “That is what makes it work. That’s what makes the first year experience in our orientation program so great.”

Some of the other activities students will have a chance to participate in during orientation include the Hendricks Chapel Ice Cream Social and The Slice is Right Game Show on Wednesday evening. On Friday, ice skating will be held at the Tennity Ice Skating Pavilion and a student involvement fair will be held on the Quad. Saturday night will kick off the semester’s first Orange After Dark event.

Published on August 23, 2016 at 5:11 pm

Contact Stacy: sfern100@syr.edu | @StacyFernandezB