The UC Merced Center in Bakersfield was abuzz with activity and energy as the campus hosted its very first New Student Orientation on Saturday, July 9, for 230 participants, including more than 100 incoming freshman and transfer students. Hailing from Shasta in the north of California to Chula Vista in the south, students and their families were engaged in a full day of programming designed to orient and prepare them for their UC Merced experience.
Following a welcome address by Chancellor Carol Tomlinson-Keasey, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Jane Lawrence and the deans of UC Merced&s three schools, students and families headed off to their respective programs.
Students had an opportunity to receive one-on-one academic advising, register for classes, take placement exams, meet faculty members during office hours, attend College 101 sessions on everything from financial aid and campus security to library resources and recreational activities, and network with their future classmates.
Meanwhile, a special program for family members provided information about the transition to college, campus resources, and options for financing their students& education, housing and student life, academic expectations and more.
In between sessions, students and families took advantage of the time to socialize, compare notes, connect with professors and Student Affairs staff members, and purchase an expanding array of UC Merced gear.
In order to accommodate as many students as possible, additional New Student Orientation programs have been planned in Fresno, Atwater and Merced. All students attending UC Merced in the fall are encouraged to attend. For additional information, please go to http://orientation.ucmerced.edu.
