Getting re-acquainted at midterm
Tracy Warner
Issue date: 11/17/06 Section: News
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A college student's life can be filled with many new and exciting challenges. For some students, overcoming those challenges might require a little guidance and Student Development and Orientation at Western Illinois University helps to provide that assistance.
SDO, located in Seal Hall, helps students to make a smooth transition to university life and provides programming to support student growth, academic success and leadership.
More than 100 Student Orientation staff leaders volunteer to assist in the fall, while 10 to 12 highly-regarded students are selected to serve on the orientation team.
When freshmen students attend the summer orientation and registration, SDO provides orientation to both students and families. According to SDO Director Tracy Scott, the focus is on how students can be both academically and personally successful.
"The teams work with both faculty and staff to help the new students make their transition in to WIU," Scott said. "It's geared so that families and students both know how their students can get off on the right foot and be successful during their time at WIU."
SDO continues to assist students once they get on campus by working closely with faculty, family members, residence living staff, counselors, health service personnel and off-campus agencies. Consultation and referrals are also offered to students experiencing academic and personal challenges of any kind.
According to Scott, many times students who find that they are having difficulty may be reluctant to go for counseling for a variety of reasons. Maybe they think they can handle things on their own, or maybe they think about how their peers will view them if they go for help. Scott said SDO can help to break down the walls and stereotypes that students have formed about receiving counseling, and help them to recognize that it would be beneficial to them if they were to come in for assistance.
"We can be that middle resource to help connect them to a variety of resources, and we can do that in an environment that lets them know that if they help themselves, then there is someone here at the university along the way that will help them too," Scott said.
SDO, located in Seal Hall, helps students to make a smooth transition to university life and provides programming to support student growth, academic success and leadership.
More than 100 Student Orientation staff leaders volunteer to assist in the fall, while 10 to 12 highly-regarded students are selected to serve on the orientation team.
When freshmen students attend the summer orientation and registration, SDO provides orientation to both students and families. According to SDO Director Tracy Scott, the focus is on how students can be both academically and personally successful.
"The teams work with both faculty and staff to help the new students make their transition in to WIU," Scott said. "It's geared so that families and students both know how their students can get off on the right foot and be successful during their time at WIU."
SDO continues to assist students once they get on campus by working closely with faculty, family members, residence living staff, counselors, health service personnel and off-campus agencies. Consultation and referrals are also offered to students experiencing academic and personal challenges of any kind.
According to Scott, many times students who find that they are having difficulty may be reluctant to go for counseling for a variety of reasons. Maybe they think they can handle things on their own, or maybe they think about how their peers will view them if they go for help. Scott said SDO can help to break down the walls and stereotypes that students have formed about receiving counseling, and help them to recognize that it would be beneficial to them if they were to come in for assistance.
"We can be that middle resource to help connect them to a variety of resources, and we can do that in an environment that lets them know that if they help themselves, then there is someone here at the university along the way that will help them too," Scott said.
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