BLOOMINGTON, Ill. 鈥� The transition to college can bring excitement, uncertainty and plenty of questions for incoming 蓝莓视频 students and their families. Rising Titan, IWU's summer orientation program, is designed to answer those questions while helping students and parents build connections before the fall semester begins.
After a recent day-long session, this year's incoming students left campus registered for fall classes, with new friendships forming and a greater sense of confidence about becoming a Titan.
For parents, Rising Titan offered reassurance that their students are ready to leave home.
Kelli Merrick from Chicago Heights attended the summer orientation day with her daughter, Kaili Merrick. Kelli said their family has faced difficult challenges this past year, and attending Rising Titan helped her feel supported by a community of parents experiencing the same transition.
"I feel a lot better about her being away from me because that's my baby," Kelli said. She added that it is important to her that her daughter is surrounded by love, and she feels Illinois Wesleyan will provide that type of environment.
Kaili, an incoming kinesiology major, said Rising Titan helped ease concerns about college life while introducing her to the close-knit community she was seeking.
"I learned that life here is a lot more connected than what I thought it was," Kaili said. "I made friends with people I never expected to talk to, and now I know I'll see them around campus."
The day began with a welcome from President Sheahon Zenger, who encouraged students to embrace the University's guiding principle: "Do well. Do good." Students met their Titan Orientation Leaders (TOLs), participated in icebreaker activities and attended sessions focused on academics and life on campus.
Professor of English Joanne Diaz was one of the featured speakers at Rising Titan, and she challenged students to think intentionally about what they hope to accomplish during their college careers. She encouraged them to consider leadership opportunities, study abroad experiences, research projects and campus involvement. Many students shared plans ranging from career and leadership goals to athletic and personal ambitions.
The experience is intended to transform a campus the students may have never visited, or only visited a handful of times, into a community they could imagine calling home. This sense of belonging is intentionally cultivated by TOLs, the student mentors who guide incoming Titans through the day's activities and help create a welcoming environment from the moment they arrive on campus.
Nathan Betancourt 鈥�27 knew firsthand how impactful the Rising Titan experience could be. As a first-generation college student with an immigrant father, Betancourt said coming to college was scary for him, but his TOL made the transition smooth.
鈥淪o the next year I became a TOL,鈥� Betancourt said. 鈥淚 love it. Giving back to the students here is awesome.鈥�
Betancourt eventually became a senior TOL and helped plan the orientation experience. He values the leadership opportunity this has given him and enjoys helping new students transition into college as smoothly as possible.
鈥淎 rewarding aspect of being a TOL is watching the students become friends,鈥� Betancourt said. 鈥淚 still have students from my first orientation groups who come up and tell me their group stayed close all year. Some of them are TOLs now."
For Illinois Wesleyan's newest Titans, the journey has just begun.