New students, new year off and running at CSC

More than 400 of CSC’s approximately 500 new students attended the orientation, which assumed a change in format from previous years. In recent years, orientation activities have coincided with the college’s course registration sessions at different times each summer. This year, orientation for the entire group of new students was saved for the few days preceding the start of the semester.

Many students brought parents and family members and about 1,000 people gathered Thursday night for check-in at Don Beebe Stadium.

Chadron State President Janie Park on Friday morning summarized the diverse composition of the 2007-08 CSC student body during a half-hour meeting of college employees. She said those enrolled at Chadron State hail from from 11 countries, including 36 U.S. states and Puerto Rico. In addition, 89 of Nebraska’s 93 counties are represented. The students range in age from 16 to 71.

She also noted more than one quarter of the the incoming freshman class finished in the top one-fourth of their high school class. Eighteen valedictorians are among the group.

“We have a very large entering freshman class of residential students,” Park said. “It’s nice to have lots and lots of online students, but we have a very strong need to have a vibrant residential campus.”

The freshman group has been given special distinction for being CSC’s centennial class of 2011.

During the meeting, Park commended Amanda Nipp, CSC’s orientation coordinator, and others on campus who made the orientation a success. She also told of the “fantastic” sight of the students and their families in the stadium Thursday, when she addressed them.

Before the students were given a run-down of the orientation’s lively schedule, Park encouraged them to get the most of their college experience by not only concentrating on studies, but by becoming involved in Chadron State’s many extracurricular activities and organizations.

“If you remember nothing else about what I say here this afternoon, remember this – for college to be what you hoped it would be, you must engage in campus activities and with other students,” she said.

Nipp, who had experience in orientations at the University of Kansas prior to coming to Chadron State, was hired for the college’s new position last year when officials decided to change the orientation process at CSC to reach more students.

“For the first time of doing it this way, I think we had a great turnout and things ran very smoothly,” Nipp said. “An event of this size required the help of employees from across the campus, and the students are grateful for everyone’s help.”

The students were given an array of information to help them succeed at college, including details about campus services, policies and procedures. In addition, they participated in a number of recreational activities, such as dances, games and a tree-planting on C Hill.

“We saw lots of students gathered and talking with each other all over campus, and I believe most of them made new friends and really got to know each other,” Nipp said. “That’s what college is all about.”

The events also included a barbecue at Memorial Park for the health professions program, in which about 175 upperclassmen and new students gathered to share ideas and become acquainted with each other.

During Friday’s meeting, Park also gave updates of CSC’s infrastructure projects, including the renovations to the Administration Building and Sparks Hall, the installation of wireless network access at points across campus, and a redesign of the college’s Web site.

She said each new school year brings a lot of excitement, and that this one is no exception.

“Each fall we get a grand opportunity to ‘start again,’ which is something a lot of businesses and organizations don’t have,” she said.