On Your Mark, Get Set …

This year, the Gateways orientation program — now involving more than 200 faculty, administrators and students — is celebrating its 10th anniversary. It is being held from Aug. 30 to Sept. 2. Jacqueline D. Peterson, vice president for Student Affairs and dean of students at Holy Cross, talks about why she made creating the summer and fall orientation programs a major objective when she arrived at the College in 1997.

MAKING LASTING CONNECTIONS Before Gateways, orientation at Holy Cross consisted of a day’s worth of events immediately before the fall semester began. “It didn’t seem that we gave students and their parents enough time to really connect with the College and engage with the people who were already here — all of which would help with the overall transition,” says Peterson. “In order for both students and parents to get a good solid start, we needed to spend a little more time making connections.”

Today, more than 80 percent of new students (along with their parents) participate in Summer Gateways, a high number says Peterson, considering it is a voluntary program. Fall Gateways is required and after parents bid their children adieu, first-year students have three days of preparation.

NOT SO FAST In the late 1990s, colleges and universities were developing more in-depth orientation programs primarily because of retention issues, says Peterson. Holy Cross didn’t (and doesn’t) have that problem, but she believed an orientation program would help build community.  “In developing our signature program, we focused on the mission of Holy Cross — how it is important that every member of the community takes responsibility for the life of the College.  One of the principles of Jesuit education is to educate the whole person.  I knew a well-developed orientation program would set the stage for the next four years.”

THE MILLENNIALS ARE COMING The inception of Gateways came at a good time. “The so-called ‘millennial generation’ was coming of college age, and we were beginning to see one of the characteristics of this demographic:  students and parents had stronger connections and they wanted to maintain that during college.  Parents also wanted to be comfortable with their student’s transition to college life and what the next four years would bring.”

BEARING FRUIT “After students and their parents had gone through the first Summer Gateways in 1998, I’ll never forget the sense of relaxation during Fall Gateways. I remember vividly seeing a family sitting underneath that apple tree,” she says, pointing out her Hogan Campus Center office.  “They were chatting and eating snacks. It was markedly different than the year before when people were frantic, trying to figure out everything in a single day.”

HELLO, FRIEND “I think the connections that incoming students make with current students are critically important,” she says. “By having a summer and fall orientation, strong connections will be made. The primary responsibility of our student Orientation Leaders is to be a resource for the new students — to be able to answer questions, to reassure, to make them feel comfortable, to share experiences, to offer guidance. So as a result, we have had new students corresponding over the summer with their Orientation Leaders!”

Pictured: New students partake in a social activity during Summer Gateways held in June at Holy Cross.

Related Information:

• Gateways Orientation