End of Journey Thoughts...

At some time in a blogger's journey she must come to terms with the wealth of information, stories, and jems that come at her daily in her particular situation, you know the one she is blogging about...at this point it becomes too difficult to keep up. It is also at this particular point where the blogger makes a conscious decision to address all of the great things that are happening and the spectacular stories later, when she has more time, or when she has just a little more perspective. The later is the case with me, okay at first I just thought it was an unmanagable amount of stuff to address so I was a little overwhelmed.

So today as I celebrate my third day at home after a full summer of internship madness I am taking the time to look back, to use my perspective on my experience and the distance I now enjoy to solidify my experience. A wise man who wrote dialogue for a little television show called Northern Exposure once said, "it is the coming home that greatly influences the experience of being away." So using this quote as my guiding principle I will choose to dive into a few stories and observations about my experience at Pacific University and my summer internship.

Power of Real World, Acting, and Personal Injury

At Pacific the Orientation Ambassadors put on a show they call Real World. This show illustrates in a very real and powerful way the challenges that college-aged students can face. Some of the skits are funny and some are eye-opening in a kind of shocking way. This is a presentation that is student-run and the final presentation of the show during the first night of Orientation no staff members/administrators are present (I was lucky enough to be considered part of the Orientation team and therefore not seen as staff...amazing show!) 

Putting on a production of this magnitude means that the Ambassadors spend a great deal of time practicing, rehearsing, memorizing lines, and sometimes writing dialogue for their own skits. Also late night rehearsal is something that all Ambassadors can look forward to during training. During one of these late night rehearsals a skit where an angry audience member (an Ambassador plant) physically confronts the person delivering the monologue. There is also an Ambassador plant to physically removes the person doing the confronting. In rehearsal this went a little awry resulting in physical injury to both the guy confronting and the guy removing when their feet got tangled up and they ran out of stage and they fell off the stage breaking the fall with one guy's head and the other's face resulting in mild whiplash and pretty extensive rug burns on the face and a hairline fracture of his nose. Both of these guys were Orientation staff and it happened the night before Orientation began, no one wants to have a hurt back or a rug burned face when new students and parents first show up on campus. In the end both guys were okay. This gave me the chance to practice my emergency response, it is good that we can all laugh about this now but at the time it was really scary for us and for these very dedicated guys. Real World went very well, Ambassadors were incredible, and the new students really enjoyed their night in the Real World.

Touching Traditions

Pacific University has a host of traditions that students and administrators have embraced. The one that I was proud to witness during Orientation this summer is called Sign, Shake, and Ring. This is where new and transfer students get a chance to sign the book of enrollment, shake the hand of the president, and ring the bell of Old College Hall officially announcing their presence on campus. When students graduate they go through the same tradition as they leave Pacific. This year during Orientation I got the chance to watch this happening and to talk with parents who were anxiously waiting for their students to complete their Sign, Shake, and Ring. 

Pacific Is Personal

From everything I have seen and experienced at Pacific University I can correctly conclude that Pacific is in fact personal just like they say, just like the slogan explains. I can also conclude that the personal touch that Pacific has begins with Orientation and continues throughout the remainder of their experience at Pacific University. 

Student Run Orientation Programming

It was refreshing for me to encounter a very successful Orientation program that is student-run. Of course administrators are available for all planning and executing Orientation programming. However, the spirit of the program and of the Orientation team is a spirit of teamwork and of ownership and inclusion. All students who are a part of Orientation understand the importance of their hard work and they truly know the responsibility that ownership comes with. 

Welcoming Environment

From the moment I set foot onto campus way back in early June I felt welcomed and I felt that I was part of the Orientation team and part of the Pacific family. I could not have asked for a better experience. It was informative, I got a chance to learn new things and to understand how to put a great deal of transitional theory as well as retention theory into practice, I also was able to meet some wonderful students and administrators. I would like to thank Julie Murray-Jensen, Associate Dean of Students for her help, understanding, and guidance. Also I want to thank Jen Hansen, Orientation Program Manager for sharing her knowledge of Pacific and for her support and encouragement. Of course I want to thank the Orientation Team: Suzanne Mather, Rachel Kirk-Epstein, Rose Beltrone, Timberly Robinson, and Ben Griffin you all are amazing, fun, and I know will do great things at Pacific and in their future. Thanks to all.

Orientation is like drinking from a firehose...

The Orientation team met with the new president of Pacific University, Lesley Hallick. She pretty much described orientation as drinking from a firehose which is both succinct and basically right on. Now that we have about two days of work before the craziness begins it just seems natural that it all starts now, that we are all actually here - days before training begins and as of tomorrow a week before Orientation begins.

So here we go, this is the time where to do lists are finalized, the last lingering tasks are checked off and we all brace for the sleeplessness, the fun, and all that Orientation offers. It's safe to say that I am inspired, tired, and just ready for it all to begin.

We've reached the two week mark...

It is already August and I can hardly believe it. This means that in about three weeks this entire experience will be behind me. This is only a fleeting realization because at this point things are pretty crazy in the office, planning has reached its inevitable peak, and a sense of urgency has crept into everything we do. For me I am looking forward to Ambassador training as plans for orientation leader training is shaping up quite nicely and my OPA (Orientation Program Assistant) staff. Ben, Timberly, and I affectionately known around the office refer to our team as "Bemberjean", are having fun putting the finishing touches on our plans for training.

Training will commence on August 21st and it is up to me and my OPA (Orientation Program Assistant) staff to train the Ambassadors the best ways we know how. This best way we know how includes being energetic, knowledgable, and excited. This training is also my chance to work with a student staff that truly enjoy their experiences at Pacific. In general the students I have met are extremely dedicated to Pacific and to the transition of new students to their community. Plus they are really fun!

One of the best parts of Orientation in my opinion is training. I enjoy this part of Orientation because of the team-building. For me, Orientation is all about seeing the student staff rise to the occasion and shine. Bringing in this year's first year class will be an excellent challenge for the Orientation Ambassadors and I am happy to be here to support them and to watch it all happen.

This Orientation is the culmination of months of hard work and dedication - it is the reason that I came to Oregon for the summer. I'm excited about this experience, it truly is a gift.

Departure and Transitions

There is nothing more telling about the people one works with than how they act when someone they truly respect leaves their job. My supervisor Joel is leaving Pacific after 10 years on campus first as a student, then as a grad student/staff member for Orientation, and then as Ph.D student and Assistant Director of Orientation. He leaves to pursue his career in psychology and an internship in Boise. 

From what I have seen it is difficult to imagine Pacific University without Joel. The student staff really looks up to Joel, he has a way of getting students to open up and talk thorough their problems. And in my short time here at Pacific I have learned a great deal from Joel. He is the kind of professional that I want to be someday. He is an extraordinary helper, a listener, and a relater and I have decided that Pacific will not be the same without him. 

So Joel, thank you for being an excellent supervisor to countless students and for helping me realize the kind of administrator I want to be. Good Luck!

What is NODA Again....?

This is the first question I have gotten since arriving a month ago on campus at Pacific University in Forest Grove, OR. Here at Pacific few people actually have higher education backgrounds so many are confused by the degree and mostly they are confused by why I am here, on campus. 

So for many of you who may have the same questions as my fellow Pacific staff members have here is what I am doing at Pacific:

1) At Pacific I am working with the Orientation Staff to plan their Orientation.

2) I will undertake to train the Orientation Ambassadors when they return to campus on August 22nd.

3) Of course I have decided to organize the two day Parent Orientation. For me, it is all too tempting to work with Pacific parents as they work to plan much of the Parent Orientation. 

4) I will also get to be a team member in a new environment. I will also be the older "more responsible" staff member for any problems that may arise or all out fights that will most certainly occur as Orientation looms 4 1/2 weeks away.

My Place here at Pacific...

Well it has been a week! A week of getting my feet under me, of meeting new people, of getting to know the Orientation staff and I have to say this is a great fit for me for my internship. There are a few key reasons:

The Orientation Staff: You can find photos to go with these descriptions online at http://www.pacificu.edu/orientation/staff/orientationstaff

Staff:

Joel - Assistant Director: Joel is my supervisor and he is hilarious this hilarity may come from the dissertation fog that he currently resides in. I know he is great at what he does and the students will miss him terribly when he leaves in July.

Jen - Orientation Assistant: Jen just graduated from Pacific and will be taking over Joel's position officially when Joel leaves. She is a wealth of knowledge and I am excited for her to learn alongside the rest of the staff about developing Orientation Ambassadors as leaders.

Orientation Coordinators:

Suzanne - New Student Coordinator: She knows so much about the institution and about Orientation she is great and will do a fantastic job. I look forward to seeing how she progresses in her leadership this summer.

Rachel - New Student Coordinator: Rachel is personable, caring, and most of all observant. She can do so many things with her life - perhaps I can help her to develop more fully in her leadership. Maybe I will try to steal her for Higher Ed if she chooses not to pursue a career in Social Work.

Rose - Transfer Student Coordinator: Rose is hilarious and my neighbor in the apartments here. She makes me laugh and comes up with the greatest insights into transfer student needs. She really outdoes herself when working for transfer students.

My Student Staff:

These students will be helping me to train the Orientation Ambassadors in August. This will be one of my main tasks for the duration of the summer is to develop, schedule, and lead the training of Orientation Ambassadors. I cannot wait!

Ben - Ben is a quiet force among all of the women on the staff. He sits back and when he's ready he says something that just makes the group erupt in hysterics. He has a great energy, parents love him, and I look forward to working with him come August.

Timber - Timber is a former cheerleader and has SO much energy. She fits well in this group and is often our comic relief. She is also wicked smart and quick on her feet. She has promised to choreograph a dance to teach the Orientation Ambassadors. I look forward to getting to know her better when she reports for work officially in August.

So I am here, I have some sort of footing, and I have to say I love this campus and the people here they have been so welcoming and wonderful there are no words to express my gratitude.

I am hopeful that this summer will be an educational experience as well as something I can look back on as the experience that will shape my experiences as a new professional working in Orientation.

What is this all about?

So it just occured to me that I will leave Denver, my awesome husband Chris, and our lives together to go to Oregon for a three month internship. I will live on campus in a campus apartment but sometimes it feels like I am away to college all over again. I actually have to purchase extra long sheets and pack up everything I might need for three months and somehow get it all to Forest Grove, OR.

What the heck am I doing? I know it will be amazing and I understand what an amazing opportunity this is for me, but I do get to experience a little time away from my everyday crazy life. I plan to use this blog to reflect on my experiences, I will also use it to post photos of my life in Oregon, and I will also use the blog to write my paper on the internship which will be due fall quarter.

I will miss Chris, I will miss my friends, and I will miss the Colorado summer but I am counting on my friends keeping in touch and hopefully coming to visit me in Forest Grove, OR. It will be super fun showing friends and family where I am living and working.