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Transcript They know why they’re here… “I like the campus, because it feels more like a campus, even though it’s near the city.” And they can’t wait to get started… “I’m excited to be in new classes, because, it seems more intensive, obviously, and less classes to focus on, but more time to focus on them.” Molly Augustin and Becky Paikowski are freshman roommates … both are enrolled in the College of Education and Human Development. Their classes start in less than a week, but their education begins with Move-in Day …the first day of the University of Minnesota’s inaugural Welcome Week. “It gives us more time to adjust and get to walk around campus a little more, even though we’ve been here once or twice for orientation.” And that is exactly the idea behind Welcome Week. “There’s a lot to like about the U of M …and a lot to learn. So University officials dedicated a whole week to first-year students. Giving them time to adjust to campus life before they start classes.” Welcome week includes a number of activities that involve the first-year students, student leaders and professors like Rashne Jehangir, who says the comfort level Welcome Week creates will help students stay in school and finish their degrees in four years. “We know, that at a larger institution, the more we have a sense of connection and a sense of place, the greater likelihood that we’ll stay and feel like we are connected and belong to it.” Welcome Week was developed after research showed that students who attended New Student Weekend, the U’s orientation program prior to Welcome Week, had higher retention and graduation rates that those who did not attend. “A very important, critical part of our strategic planning process is the goal to increase retention of our students, to increase timely graduation.” University Provost Thomas Sullivan says the workshops, early move-in and other Welcome Week activities will make for a smooth transition for first-year students … “When they start classes right after Labor Day, they will be more informed, they will be less anxious as we all were when we started college.” And they’ll be ready to get a head start on the rest of their careers. For the University of Minnesota, I’m Justin Ware. |
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