Ball State University - Orient Yearbook (Muncie, IN)

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Newly instituted fall orientation eases anxiety Freshmen gain solace by Norma Creek ncoming freshmen of the class of' 1991 were welcomed into the campus community with the Fall Orientation program. As part of the University's efforts to help freshmen get off to a positive start, this newly in- stituted sequence of events took place duing the three days prior to the beginning of Fall Quarter. In the past, matricu- lating freshmen and other new students were on their own when getting to know other students, university services and the ins and outs of academic and social life. Furthermore, hesitant new students were left on the fringe of a new environ- ment as they relied on a simple flyer listing forth- coming activitiesg and hoped time and experience would give them answers to their many questions. Easing new students into adjustment and partici- pation, the Fall Orientation VAS part ol the orientation program, Hinda Mitchell helps Lori Bumbalough and Beth Mitchell find their classes. Dur- ing the three day orientation freshmen at- tended workshops, dances and open houses. program began with the president's convocation at Emens Auditorium. This hour long induction cere- mony kicked off Freshman Activity Night, which was followed by two days of 66 workshops and open The activities houses at helped me to each of tile feel more C0ml0l'lable cluding ,, University College. Melissa Hoffman attended a workshop designed to help new students adjust to large lecture classes. Hoffman felt the orientation program had positive benefits. 'The activities helped me to feel more comfortable. Each of the workshops offered various types of valuable information to those uninitiated to campus life-everything from perspectives on sex to living on a limited budget. Open houses sponsored by each of the colleges also allowed freshmen to meet and ask .41 Gsfafffreshmen orientation questions of the deans and faculty of the students' prospective majors. Assistant director of admissions Ann Reiter said the success of the new program was evident when a surprisingly high percent- age of incoming students attended and participated in the activities. So many times, freshmen end up spending the first few days after moving in alone in their rooms. . .uncertain, nervous and even crying, Reiter said. The goal of the pro- gram was to get new stu- dents involved and to help them meet as many other students as possible, she said. Activities designed to introduce members of large groups to each other were big favorites and resulted in new acquain- tances for most of the participants. Kim Everson said, alt was a lot of fung and though some liked it more than others, I'd recommend it to everyone. Z V Ryan Schrogham

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Uiiiversiiys China dezegiiiioii completes mission ofgoodwill Faculty, students learn abroad by Brook Perdue rom celebration, to sightseeing, to speaking, 15 students and faculty acted as goodwill ambassadors to China and Korea through a once-in-a- lifetime opportunity. I saw an ad for the trip in the Daily News and thought the odds were so great that I wouldn't have a chance, Molly Hiatt said. I couldn't pass up such a rare opportunity to learn about different cultures though, so I decided to try it and was fortunately cho- sen. The month-long visit to these countries was sponsored by the Campus' Center for Intemational Programs and was partially funded by the hosting Chinese and Korean univer- sities. Beginning in late December, plans and recruitment were under- way, as advertisements publicized the forthcoming China!Korea Delegation. Selection for the trip was based on the student's grade transcript, resume, three references and a cover letter explaining why the student desired to be a part of the delegation. Once the nine students and six professors were chosen, the team met four hours a week during Spring Quarter to prepare for the visit. Films of Chinese and Korean cultures were shown during two of the hours, with the remaining two hours used to familiarize students with languages of thecountries. On May 26 the team landed in Hong Kong to begin its 66 quest of es- I cguldfft tablishing Pass UP Such fiiaiiioiflgn 3 rare OPPOT' between tunity to learn Balll State about differ- Umverilty and univer- ,, China and Korea. According to Dick Ware, professor of photo- joumalim, the trip was par- tially geared to stimulate the professors to work to create exchange programs in the professors' academic specializations. Ware docu- mented the visit through film coverage. Our agenda was very busy, John Dalton said. Dalton was videographer for the group. From 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. we traveled by bus, train or plane to different areas. We were PR people from morning to evening. Within this time frame, the delegation met with professors, gave lec- tures and presentations about our University, con- ducted question and answer sessions with foreign students and attended banquets and parties held in their honor. Around 30 percent of the trip involved sightseeing, Dalton said. 'The Chinese people were great hosts, and the students were so excited to be with Americans, Kristin Casaletto said. They performed acts for us, played games with us and had dances for us. It was incredible. The catch was that we had to provide 're- ciprocal entertainment, Casaletto said. As a result of the delegation's efforts, a delegation from Wuhan planned to conduct a goodwill delegation to Ball State. According to Dalton, a major goal of the program was to create a Far East exchange program similar to the Westminster ex- change. Besides the obvious promotional aspects of the visit, the delegation gained some insight concerning Korean and Chinese poli- tics. Dalton, Hiatt and Casaletto agreed that the American media sensation- alized student riots in Seoul and other Korean countries. We talked with some student protestors and were able to understand why they're protesting. It was good to hear and see what our press doesn't tell, Hiatt said. Korean and Chinese students far exceeded those of the United States in po- litical knowledge and interest, Casaletto said. 'When I got home, I imme- sfKristin Casaletto enjoys comparing cultures with a student in Seoul, Korea. The delegation's experiences helped to educate the members about international relations. diately registered to vote, and now I want to read the newspaper and know what's going on. I don't want to take my freedom for granted. Other delegates also returned to America with fresh perspectives of other cultures and of their fortune in being U.S. citizens. Most of China isn't as oppressed as Americans tend to think since the government can't com- pletely control the whole nation, Dalton said. Dalton added that seeing a more naive culture, untainted by the degree of sex and violence exposed to Americans was refreshing. However, he said, the Chinese dream was to mix the ugood parts of westerni- zation with traditional Chinese culture. With the celebration, singing and sightseeing behind it, the China!Korea Delegation returned home to fulfill a new set of re- sponsibilities. These included promoting interna- tional awareness and China Week-a week of slide shows, discussions and presentations geared to spark student and faculty interest in China. Casaletto said, One of the biggest things I learned is that there is a lot more than the American way of life. The trip gave me an expanded attitude. Their way of life is just as valid as our's. l2I citina cfefegationll 5?

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5 4:kf!'f funmu' ...a- v Ryan Sohrogham V During the newly instituted fall orienta- tion program, Sondra Oursler and Amy Bass discuss the courses required for theirmajor. The class of1991 was the first to participate in the three day orientation program. vLaura Moorhead, Lesley Stedman and Amy Metz focus their attention as the new advising system is explained during their tour of the journalism department. For orientation, all incoming freshmen were divided by their college classification and then further separated according to their department. 5' e , 4'4'i'Jli - . ,-,f- , . P 7 AP J 5 't ffiflfc GA ...-..,-,-.. 'Y -- Q., N , -..,, , J V Ryan Schrogham faIIjre.sHmen orientation.1 7..-