Northwest Missouri State University - Tower Yearbook (Maryville, MO)

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Student Ambassa- dors Tricia Tinsley and Loree Sheldon prepare orienta- tion packages for freshmen. The packages included vital into:mation such as the Under- graduate Academic Catalog, Student Organization Handbook, aca- demic calendar, and an Advantage ' 92 shirt. Photo by Don Carrick. Changes in orientation give freshmen a real dvanta ge 1 ' H ucross the country spent B months trying to adjust to ■ B the rigors and freedoms of f A college life. Since 1986 ■ H the Admissions Office at Northwest welcomed freshmen with a week solely dedicated to easing this adjust- ment period. Student Ambassadors, peer advisers, and various organization members vol- unteered to help students move into the residence halls, direct traffic and answer questions regarding the campus. Resi- dent Assistant Shelly Pfister said that this centered attention was one of the strong points about the Advantage program. Without orientation week they would have gotten lost in the shuffle because there was so much information, Pfister said. This way we directed our attention to just freshmen and got all of their ques- tions answered. Like any program, changes and im- provements were necessary to stay in tune with students. The week began dif- ferently when students moved in on Sat- urday rather than during the week. Ad- vantage Director Shari Schneider said this was mainly for the convenience of working parents. Another change was the new activities added to the program. One new event that faired well was the faculty administra- tion picnic where faculty and administra- tors cooked and served hamburgers to students. The student organizational fair was brought back after a hiatus last year, and gave students a glimpse of the variety of activities available on campus. Registration was also changed slightly. Instead of registering directly through the Registrar ' s Office, students enrolled for classes in their adviser ' s of- fice. Dave Walden said the registration process was very helpful in choosing which classes he should take. The enrollment process went pretty well, Walden said. They suggested classes they thought I would do well in and would be interested in. Adjustments were also made in infor- mational sessions with smaller, more in- dividualized sessions in computer labs for hands-on training. Jill Ragee thought both the informa- tional sessions and advisers were a big help in getting the year started. The week was very rewarding, Ragee said. 1 learned a lot that 1 prob- ably would not have on a bigger campus, like how to use the computer equipment and where my classes were. They basi- cally spoon-fed us. Although many students seemed to agree that Advantage 92 was a key fac- tor to settling into the college curriculum, student evaluations showed that some freshmen thought the week could have been condensed into two or three days. Schneider, however, said it would not have been possible to register 1,350 freshmen in two days and still have complete informational sessions. Trying to register 1,350 freshmen over two days would have been horren- dous, Schneider said. There were also things that we had to address that needed a little more time. Each individual needed a different amount of time to adjust, whether it was the students ready for the party scene or the homesick stu- dents anticipating Christmas break. Al- most every student stumbled through the first week, usually victorious and more at ease thanks to help from the Admissions Office and the Advantage program. — Karis.s% Bowey The week was very rewarding, Jill Ragee said. I learned a lot that I prohahly would not have on a bigger campus... they basically spoon-fed us. Orientation 11

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Comedian David Naster entertains incoming Fresh- men at Mary Linn Performing Arts Center. Naster, a DJ on KY102 in Kansas City, was a featured per- former during Advantage ' 92. Photo by Jon Britton. « • « • Checking in at Orientation Central. Susan Sherlocii receives her Advantage ' 92 pacl et. Many students thought the progran helped them better adjust to college. Photo by Jack Vaught. 10 Orientation

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Displaying their banner, Tau Kappa Epsilon members support the football team. Several Greek organiza- tions went to the football games. Photo by Jon Britton. Loree Sheldon and Jeremy Radford encourage Eliza- beth Pfost to cheer. Pfost won the chance to be a cheerleader in a fundraiser. Photo by Jon Britton. The cheerleaders show their enthusiasm by setting up a pyramid. The team helped fans keep spirits high during the game against the University of Missouri- Rolla Miners. Photo by Jon Britton. 12 Game Day