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Junior Keiy Murofushi has seen his share of freshman and knows how New Student Orientation works. As a four-time NSO counselor, he witnessed this year’s January NSO, which was larger than ever before. With an increase of 26 admitted students from spring 2005, January NSO was especially busy this year.
From Jan. 5th through 7th, 105 new students made themselves at home, thanks to the help of seven NSO counselors.
“This January, we had sessions to orient the new students into the different aspects of our campus with respect to academics as well as activities, events and organizations outside of the classroom,” Murofushi wrote in an e-mail to the Graphic “We also had small social events, like a trip to Santa Monica’s Third Street Promenade, that would help the students get to know one another and ask previous students questions about the campus.”
Many students who attended NSO found it was helpful, but could have been more exciting and informative.
“NSO helped me to learn what is expected of me and the general atmosphere of the place, but it didn’t help me locate the buildings where my classes where going to be,” sophomore transfer Cristina Nay said.
Some of the new students found that attending NSO over winter break was hard because many of the freshmen-year seminar teachers were still on vacation. Many new students like freshman Brittany (Beau) Dunn said they made lots of new friends with current and new students during NSO, which helped to create a smoother transition for the new waves.
“I met a lot of people and made a lot of new friends,” Dunn said.
NSO was a big success with big numbers, Michael Truschke, Director of Admissions, wrote in an e-mail. 536 students applied for admission into Pepperdine for spring 2006, and 96 of the 298 who were admitted have enrolled.
New students came for spring term because of a variety of reasons.
Many new students came because the admission office had deferred them when they applied for fall 2005. Elizabeth Kennedy, a new freshman, was deferred to the spring semester when she applied for the fall 2005 semester.
In addition, many of the new students who attended orientation had spent the fall semester preparing for Pepperdine at a junior college or state university, according to Murofushi.
“I spent the fall semester at COD, which is the College of the Desert,” Kevin Miller, also a new freshman, wrote in an e-mail. “I was taking classes so I wouldn’t be behind when I got here.”
Other new students, like Dunn, spent the fall semester working.
“During the fall, I signed on with agents and began modeling and training to be a model.”
Kennedy said NSO succeeded in making her feel like she was a member of Pepperdine’s community. “I am excited about the new term. It is nice to be back [to school],” she said.
Though some new transfers notice a difference between their old school and Pepperdine, they find the difference refreshing.
“Although Pepperdine is much bigger than Florida College, the school from where I transferred, the faculty here is really nice and willing to help, and the kids are very friendly,” Nay said.
For some students, coming to Pepperdine for spring term was a dream come true.
“I just remember one of the new students telling me how strange it felt that he was finally at his dream school,” Murofushi said.
Submitted 01-19-2006
MALIBU, CA
