The familiarization of new students and their parents with Boston College begins at a three-day orientation program run by the University’s Office of First Year Experience. The 2,384 freshmen and transferring students attend one of seven sessions held between June and August. They stay in Boston College housing on lower campus and, in a series of tours and group meetings, learn about the opportunities and expectations presented by the University. On their third day, for example, they attend five sessions where they meet staff from the Connors Learning Center, Information Technology Services, and the Volunteer and Service Learning Center, among others. The students also meet with their academic advisors to register for first semester courses. The parents, meanwhile, receive their own, separate introduction to the University—touring the campus and hearing presentations on subjects such as the “commitment to community at Boston College” and the “challenge of transition.” (One panel discussion is titled: “Now that We Raised You, How Dare You Grow Up.”) They also attend an information fair where University departments from health services to campus ministry, dining services to the career center, describe their resources.
On June 19 outside Lyons Hall, Kyle McCartan ’12, one of 42 student orientation leaders, conducts a conversation with a group of freshmen, including, to his right, Chenyu Dai of Connecticut.