University's 2013 orientation team to help welcome more than 5,000 incoming students
Virginia Tech's New Student and Family Programs has selected 50 students to work at new student orientations this year as orientation leaders, orientation assistants, transfer orientation guides, and transfer orientation guide leaders. Students in these positions will help welcome more than 5,000 incoming students to Virginia Tech this summer at Transfer Orientation June 24–27 and First-Year Orientation July 8–25.
Orientation leaders assist new students by leading small group sessions during New Student Orientation each year in June and July. Orientation leaders also play a vital role in helping new students and their families become familiar with the university, feel comfortable before move-in, and integrate into the university community.
“As an orientation leader, you always want to be able to give new students the tools and resources they need to be a successful Hokie for the next four years, and for the rest of their lives,” said Kabemba Kapanga of Henrico, Va., a junior majoring in psychology in the College of Science. Kapanga served as an orientation leader last summer.
Students are selected for this position based on their ability to be a resource and role model for new students, be highly motivated and dependable, and be sincere about representing New Student and Family Programs and the Virginia Tech community.
Transfer orientation guides serve the same role for transfer students who are new to Virginia Tech. These guides are required to have been transfer students themselves so that they understand the process and the concerns fellow transfer students may have.
Some students like Kapanga who enjoyed their involvement with New Student Orientation and excelled as orientation leaders last summer were hired this year as orientation assistants or transfer orientation guide leaders.
“The orientation assistant position gives the six of us an opportunity to return and serve the 24 new leaders,” Kapanga said of the upcoming experience. “We are their mentors and guides, and in a way it’s very similar to the job the orientation leaders have with the incoming class.”
To view a full listing of students selected, visit the New Student and Family Programs first-year and transfer team pages.
