A Successful uConnect
The middle of August signals back to school for everyone... students, parents, people watching clothing ads against their will. Packing up all your junk and hauling it to Lincoln is a pretty familiar routine for most Union students, but every year brings a new batch of freshmen who need to learn the ropes. This year’s “uConnect” orientation occurred between Aug. 20-25, and with it came a slew of new personalities to Union’s campus. Each brought their own, unique perspective on the events.
Abby Logan appreciated the flexibility the schedule allowed as she familiarized herself with the campus. “The events have been really good! There’s enough freedom to do the things that I want, but there’s also a program to follow. I really like that.”
Other students appreciated the varying events that introduced and involved them with other new students. “We participated in a lot of different ice breakers that intermixed us. And we were able to meet new people. Which, I mean, obviously, that’s the whole point,” said Jayden Anderson.
Zachary Hyde echoed this sentiment. When asked if he felt welcomed on campus, he immediately said, “The involvement in activities allowed us to talk to a variety of people. Everyone has been very welcoming and friendly.”
Taryn Rouse, the Executive Director of Student Success, was part of the team that planned the orientation. She was incredibly satisfied with the results. She mentioned during an interview, “‘uConnect’ is one of my favorite events of the year. This new class of students brought an incredible amount of positive energy and seemed to thoroughly enjoy connecting and engaging with each other. The uConnect team learns every year about how to improve for the next. We have already met to debrief. Our goal is to make students’ introduction to Union be as smooth as possible, while also helping them discover all the amazing people and opportunities this campus has to offer.”
It looks like the Student Life team can rest easy ... this year’s orientation was a success! All their hard work paid off. While there are many more things in store this year from ASB, clubs and courses: more events, friendships and even homework, the program positively welcomed everyone into Union’s optimistic atmosphere.
Drew Hickman is a sophomore studying communication.