There are many factors that help a new student flourish when arriving on campus and remain prosperous once there. New student programs aid in the successful transition for students who are eager to start their new experience and continue successfully through their college journey. Dr. Cynthia Hernandez of Texas A&M University discusses what makes these programs effective as well as the roles that students, parents, administrators and faculty all play in the transition to college.
Andrew Hibel, HigherEdJobs: Dr. Hernandez, you are the assistant vice president for student affairs at Texas A&M University and have worked in higher education and student affairs for over 16 years. What is it about student affairs that keeps you connected to this area?
Dr. Cynthia L. Hernandez, Texas A&M University: Similar to others in our profession, my first exposure to student affairs as a career was during my undergraduate experience. During this time, I recognized how much the work of student affairs professionals impacted my life and, in turn, how my work as a resident assistant and an orientation leader impacted the experiences of my peers. The opportunity to impact a college student’s learning and development keeps me connected to the student affairs profession.
Hibel: In addition to your role at Texas A&M, you are the president of the National Orientation Directors Association (NODA). Will you explain briefly the mission behind NODA and why you chose to take on this leadership position?
Hernandez: The mission of NODA is to provide education, leadership, and professional development in the fields of college student orientation, transition and retention. We strive to create a community of practice that defines and enriches the fields of orientation, transition, and retention (OTR). My first exposure to NODA was as an undergraduate student. As an orientation leader we attended a NODA regional conference where we presented on various aspects of our orientation program. I relished the opportunity to talk to other students and professionals about their program and share information about our program. I remember meeting the vice president of NODA, Christine Timmerman, at that conference and was excited that she was from Texas. I remember thinking to myself even then, ‘Wouldn’t it be great to be involved in the leadership of this organization?’ Immediately, I sought opportunities to get involved with the association by presenting at conferences, serving on region conference committees, annual conference committees, coordinating regional activities, serving as editor of a NODA publication, and around the board table as vice president. Twenty years after my first conference as an undergraduate student, I became president of the association. My motivations for taking on these leadership positions within the association vary from interests in my own personal development to a genuine desire to further the interests of the association and the fields of orientation, transition, and retention. My career began in first-year student programming and I will always have a passion for developing the fields of orientation, transition, and retention. Even as I become more of a generalist in my administrative role, I will always seek to enhance the OTR fields as much as I can.
Hibel: For a recent high school graduate, beginning a new journey at a college can be an exciting yet at the same time an overwhelming experience. What would you consider are some best practices that orientation departments can implement in order to make this new start as successful as possible?
Hernandez: The first thing would be to recognize that orientation is a process and extends beyond the traditional summer model. NODA defines “orientation” as deliberate programmatic and service efforts designed to facilitate the transition of new students to the institution; prepare students for the institution’s educational opportunities and student responsibilities; initiate the integration of new students into the intellectual, cultural, and social climate of the institution; and support the parents, partners, guardians, and children of the new student (CASHE, 2009). Orientation may include, but is not limited to, single or multiple day “traditional” orientation programs, weeks of welcome, orientation camps, outdoor/wilderness orientation, programs focused on special interests (e.g., community service) or special populations (e.g., student-athletes, international students), summer bridge programs, online orientation, parent/family orientation, and orientation courses/first-year seminars/workshops.
Successful orientation programs have been linked with student retention. Components of a successful orientation program assist students in gaining the attitudes, knowledge, skills and opportunities that will assist them in making a smooth transition to university or college community, thereby allowing them to become engaged and productive community members. Mullendore (2011) states, “the literature for the past thirty years has been clear that it is equally important to understand that it is the combination of academic and social integration that is critical to student success and retention, and a student’s comfort level with a college is often established during orientation. Orientation provides multiple opportunities for your new students to meet and interact with others, thus beginning the social and academic integration processes.”
As with any programming, there is not “a one-size-fits-all orientation” model. The first step is taking some time to familiarize yourself with your new student profile. Who are they? What are their needs? What are their challenges? The second step is knowing your institution. What is the mission? What are the goals? The final step is ascertaining what are those things that need to be conveyed to students to help them integrate academically and socially to the institution. I would be remiss to overlook the importance of building effective relationships and collaboration with the campus community as an element of constructing and maintaining a successful orientation program. OTR professionals keep in mind that the program(s) for which they are responsible are the university’s, not solely their programs. Many OTR programs serve as a vehicle through which other individuals, departments, and offices showcase their programs and services.
Hibel: How do these best practices differ for transfer students or non-traditional students?
Hernandez: When developing population specific orientation programs, the first step is knowing your student. Characteristics of transfer students are broad and diverse. According to Dr. Bonita Jacobs, former past president of NODA, “some are non-traditional, some are traditional-aged, some have never lived away from home, and some have been through multiple campus life experiences. They bring with them a wide range of credit hours, maturation levels, and campus expectations. The profile of the transfer population on one campus may be very different from the profile of transfer students on another campus. To expect these students to conform to a one-size-fits-all orientation is a bit unrealistic.” Take some time to understand the composition of the transfer population that is unique to your institution. Based on this assessment you can begin to construct a program that will reach and meet the needs of your transfer students.
Hibel: You explained some best practices above, but on the opposite side, what do you think some campuses are struggling with when it comes to providing successful orientation programs and how can they overcome these challenges?
Hernandez: Similar to other areas in higher education, OTR professionals are constantly evaluating how technology is impacting our programs and how we can harness the power of technology to make our programs more efficient and effective. Gone are the days where new students’ first interaction with their peers is at orientation. Social media provides a platform where new students can meet and establish relationships (virtual at the very least) with their peers prior to them coming to orientation. How, if any, does this change what we do at orientation? Along the same line, how can we use social media or other technologies to help connect students academically and socially to the institution? Similar to the concept of the “flipped classroom” where lectures are online and class time is spent working in groups and on problems, are their ways to “flip” some of the presentations that occur during orientation programs? In terms of orienting transfer students specifically, too many times orientation professionals spend an great deal of time and energy on freshman programs and by consequence the transfer program is not as robust and often a pared down version of the freshman program. To prevent this afterthought, many new student/first-year programming areas now hire professional staff dedicated to developing transfer orientation, transition, and retention programs.
Hibel: In some respects, an orientation leader is training new students on how to navigate the territory of the college campus and succeed in their studies. How do you suggest colleges or universities “train the trainer” or, in other words, prepare leaders to orientate the new students?
Hernandez: Orientation leader training is a frequent topic of conversation amongst our members. Developing a comprehensive training program for student orientation staff can seem daunting but it is a valuable component to any OTR program. I would encourage OTR professionals to do some research of other programs. NODA members have access to online publications and peer resources that include syllabi and training outlines from a multitude of institutions. These resources can provide ideas or even a platform to begin constructing or enhancing an existing training program. Begin with drafting solid, measurable learning outcomes for your training. Most training programs contain some similar elements. First, the training should offer an opportunity for student orientation staff to understand the history, role, and purpose of OTR programming. This gives some context as to why their orientation program and their roles as orientation leaders are important in the lives of new students. Second, training should include an opportunity for staff to learn about the new students, and family members, with whom they will be working. Once the profile has been shared, there should be an opportunity for student staff to learn about the various needs that may be unique to each population. Third, student staff should be exposed to the multitude of campus resources that will help address the needs of new students, focusing primarily on those that are essential their first six months of school. Fourth, student staff should have an opportunity to learn more about themselves. Taking time to explore their own strengths, areas of needed development, assumptions, and motivation can assist them in their work with others. This can also inform the advisor of other areas where students may need some development such as communication skills, problem-solving, and diversity education. Fifth, if your staff will be working as a team during your programs, take some time for group work, team projects, and other activities that will allow the team to form and develop trust with one another. There are so many methods of delivery for training such as credit bearing courses, non-credit bearing courses, weekly meetings, workshops, to intensive training days. As with OTR programs, there is not a one-size-fits-all training program. The program should be unique to your institution and to the needs of your staff. Do not forget to assess your training programs. If it is built on solid, measurable learning outcomes, take some time to construct evaluations or activities that will provide evidence of achieving these outcomes. Lastly, close the assessment loop by using the results to continue improving your training program.
Hibel: Obviously, a college experience combines administrators and faculty working together to provide quality education for the student. What role do — or should — faculty play in orientation?
Hernandez: It is well documented that positive, intentional faculty-student interactions play a factor in student retention. There are a number of ways to involve faculty in OTR programming and should be based on your institutional culture. Some programs involve faculty as academic/career advisors during orientation programs or have them serve in other roles specific to their work in a particular college. I have seen faculty members utilized during welcome week events as well. One particular school divided up their freshman class into small groups and they had dinner at a faculty member’s home. The food was provided by the new student programs office, the faculty picked it up and provided dessert. I have also seen faculty members utilized during family orientation sessions as panelists on a faculty panel, presenting a mock lecture for family members, or attending receptions where family members can interact with them in a more casual setting. Many times faculty member involvement in OTR programs will mirror the culture of your institution. My advice for professionals who want to explore this endeavor is to create a small task force of faculty to gauge interest. One may even consider starting with one academic college to pilot an initiative.
Hibel: What are the ideal roles for the school, the parent and the student in the student’s transition into his or her college journey? And how should those roles interact?
Hernandez: Wow! What a question. I could easily spend days answering this question. My philosophy on family member involvement is that they can be allies in helping their student be successful. In this era, many students communicate with a family member much more frequently than when I went to school. Instead of seeing that as a hindrance, I see it as an opportunity. This is why developing a comprehensive parent/family orientation program is key. If the first person a student calls when he or she is struggling is a family member, I want to help that family member know where to send his or her student. At this orientation program it is also key to communicate to family members about their roles and how to best support and empower their student … which is different than doing things for their student. Obviously, an institution’s primary relationship is with the student. However, equipping family members with knowledge and resources about the institution can assist students as they transition and matriculate through our institutions.
Hibel: How does a university gauge if their orientation process was a success?
Hernandez: More and more, higher education has come under increased scrutiny at the local, state and federal levels. OTR programs must have a sound assessment and evaluation plan to provide evidence of their vital contributions to student and institutional success. A sound assessment plan can assist orientation directors in evaluating whether the goals of the program are aligned with institutional and departmental goals; it can assist in determining whether the program has achieved the intended outcomes; and provide data for future decision-making regarding the program. The most vigorous approach to evaluating a campus-wide orientation program would be to use both a quantitative and qualitative (mixed-method) methodology. I would encourage orientation professionals to engage the assistance of other professionals on campus who may be able to help in constructing a sound assessment plan such as a student affairs assessment office or the office of institutional research. One last thing about assessment, if you involve student staff in your programs, don’t forget to assess their experience as student leaders in your program. There should be separate learning outcomes and methods for these students. A well-constructed student leader experience can positively impact a student’s persistence and retention.
Hibel: This March 13-17, NODA along with other higher education associations will be gathering in Orlando for the successful job placement process called The Placement Exchange (TPE). 1 Over the past few years we have asked our guests from associations involved with TPE to provide some words of wisdom to candidates who may be interviewing at this event. What would yours be?
Hernandez: Prepare. Preparing for TPE is key so take some time and review your résumé, cover letter, and other items you may use during the process. Utilize your colleagues and mentors to help you review these materials. In addition, take some time and learn about the positions and institutions to which you will be applying. Do your homework in order to gain a full picture of the position. It can be challenging as an interviewer when the candidate has not done his or her part to prepare. Practice. In addition to making sure your materials are ready, call upon some mentors or colleagues to help you practice interviewing. There are several common interview questions that you can practice answering. Have your mentors critique your body language and delivery as well as your answers. Be yourself. Ultimately, YOU want to shine through in the interview. If it is a good fit … great! If it isn’t, no need to panic because the right position will come along. Relax, enjoy your time, and have faith that your preparation and practice will guide you.
Hibel: If you were interviewing a candidate on your campus for a position as the director of new student programming, what would an ideal candidate look like?
Hernandez: First and foremost, I would look for someone who has a firm grasp on student development theory and other theories that serve as underpinnings for OTR programming. Producing high quality, intentional OTR programming is more than just event management, one has to understand and be able to articulate the theory on which the programming is grounded. I also look for a commitment to student learning, not only for new students, but a desire to provide intentional high-impact experiences for the student staff who assist with OTR programs. The director must have the ability to manage the culture, politics and power relationships that provide institutional context and positively build collaborative relationships within and beyond the campus community. Budget management, staff supervision (student and professional staff), committee experience, experience working with diverse audiences … all of these are important depending on the responsibilities of the position. Last but not least, professional association membership and involvement, especially in the field of the position for which the candidate is applying, is important. Membership in a professional association demonstrates a commitment to lifelong learning and professional development. Active involvement takes membership one step further by exposing individuals to other colleagues and practices.
Hibel: Since you are in contact with many new student program leaders through NODAand also a leader yourself, what qualities in general would you say make a good leader?
Hernandez: Not only do I work at Texas A&M University, I am privileged to be a former student. The institution has six core values that, in my opinion, express the qualities that I look for in a leader: excellence, integrity, leadership, loyalty, selfless service, and respect. Excellence – set the bar high, challenging yourself and others to take things from good to great. Integrity – adhering to your ethical and moral principles. Doing the right thing, even when no one is looking. Leadership – understanding and acting upon when one must step up, take charge, and make the hard decisions. Loyalty – belonging to something that is greater than yourself. Selfless Service – having a heart to serve and help others. Respect – valuing and respecting the diverse opinions, thoughts, and perspectives of others.