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On the Job with Orientation

The Bulletin spoke with Mary Shepherd, Orientation Coordinator

What do people think you do?
“People think that I arrange campus tours for the general public year round.”

What do you really do?
“We’re pretty much the “first impression” for students and parents who have decided to make Sacramento State their university. We arrange for the new students to meet other new students, meet with a faculty member from their major, help them register for classes, set up workshops and teach them about campus services that they can join or participate in. The goal is to let the new students know Sacramento State is more than just coming and going to class.”

Describe your office.
“We’re in Lassen Hall, next to Academic Advising. We have a small reception area and two offices that accommodate me, another full-time assistant and four student coordinators.”

What surprises people?
“People are surprised by how so few people in this office can do so much. The planning for orientation takes place a year in advance, sometimes two. The freshmen orientations are two days and the transfer orientations are one day. We’re responsible for arranging everything the participants do on campus while they are at orientation.”

What is your biggest challenge?
“Conveying how important orientation is to transfer students. They aren’t required to go through orientation, like freshmen are, and some begin the semester with confusion and misinformation that could have been addressed if they attended orientation.”

What do you get asked the most?
“We get a number of phone calls asking for miscellaneous campus information and directions. In particular, during the summer we serve as a one-stop shop for parents who have a number of questions or concerns about things such as campus safety, housing, programs, registration and parking.  We enjoy helping new students and their parents.”