Written by Dean of Students and Vice President for Student Affairs, Jerry Price
In the fall semester we have approximately 2000 new undergraduate students begin their Chapman experience. In spring semester, however, we have just a few hundred. How does this affect the experience of new students beginning in the spring versus the fall?
There is no doubt that providing an orientation program is much different for 2000 students than a few hundred. However, the big difference between fall and spring is not so much the numbers as the timing. Orientation in fall semester has the benefit of coming at the end of summer when very few students are involved in classes. As a result, orientation leaders have more free time to devote to preparing to welcome and support new students – and with 2000 new students coming, we need all the time we can get!  Interterm, on the other hand, runs right up until the start of spring semester classes, which requires us to implement spring orientation while classes are still in session.
While this certainly can create challenges for spring orientation, there are some advantages as well. The primary benefit is that the 2000 new students who arrived in the fall have already experienced their Chapman transition; as a result, they can serve as a resource to new spring students by sharing insights they have learned along the way. In other words, you can benefit from the learning curve they have already navigated.
In your first few days on campus, it may seem to you as though the new students from fall have already found their rhythm in the Chapman experience; majors, classes, friends, involvement – it appears they have it all figured out. Of course, we hope that’s true, but it’s only because they have already experienced the transition that is now in front of you; if you had seen them for months ago, they would not seem so together!  It was only over time that the they created the rhythm that you know how observe.
So, your goal as a new student in the spring should be to insert yourself into that existing campus rhythm – and the key to accomplishing this is to be positive and assertive. Seek out your orientation leader. Contact campus offices right away (including mine) whenever you have any questions. Perhaps most importantly, make connections with your peers. Introduce yourself to other students in your classes and let them know you are new – I think you will find them to be very welcoming and supportive.  Also, start looking early for opportunities to get involved in campus life. While many of these our student clubs and organizations are already in full swing, it is still a great way to meet people and get connected. If you are a freshman, I particularly encourage you to check out your Fenestra community in the residence halls.
Whether you begin your Chapman experience in the fall semester or spring, the same is true: Chapman has many amazing opportunities in and out of the classroom, and the most successful students are those who don’t wait for their opportunities, but go out and get them.