SDS to create transition program
By Kristi Walker
Staff Reporter

Student Development Services is creating a program this year to help ease students’ transitions to each stage of college life.

The program will help students adjust to starting college, being upperclassmen and continuing onto graduate school or the professional world, said Carrie Zimmerman, director of the first-year experience.

“We are in the process of finding out students’ needs, gathering information and determining the best way to meet those needs,” Zimmerman said.

SDS staff members wants to make sure students’ needs are met on the emotional, educational, social and mental levels, Zimmerman said. Teams of five or six staff members from all across campus are working on programs for each class, she said.

SDS is implementing the transitions program with the current freshman class, Zimmerman said. When they become sophomores and then juniors and seniors, transitions programs will be instituted at each successive level, she said.

One main goal is to implement a class identity through service projects, community service and cookouts, Zimmerman said.

“We want it to be easy for students to experience college and do the things that they aspire to do,” Zimmerman said. “We want students to feel that their voice can be heard and that they can make an impact on campus.”

Clay Eiland, a freshman premajor, said he does not think class unity and class identity are realistic goals.

“Before students even start class, they already have their own groups and identity; some are Greek, some are in band and some know each other from high school,” Eiland said. “So, I don’t think it is a feasible goal considering how diverse the classes are.”

Eiland said he was one of 25 freshmen to participate in a monthly dinner with Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Don Mills, which was designed to research the needs of students.

“It was much more personal than the other forums I have attended, but still it comes across that they have their own agenda and are just asking our opinion to appease us,” Eiland said.

Mallory Bolduc, a freshman political science major, said the dinners and the cookouts are good ideas.

“I feel like what I said can have an impact because of the good response I got from Dr. Mills,” Bolduc said. “I think it is a good idea to try to unify the classes, and I am looking forward to getting to know more people through this program.”