Students need to be welcomed to campus with an intentional orientation that builds the foundation for long-term student engagement, writes Kenneth Holmes (University of New Hampshire). Holmes writes that an intentional orientation, which starts before students arrive and extends throughout their education, lays the emotional, social, and academic groundwork for a student’s whole educational experience. The author offers several examples of strategies used at his institution, including starting orientation before students come to campus, fostering trust with families, connecting students with peers, and beginning academic engagement early. “If we want them to thrive, we must do more than welcome them; we must integrate them,” writes Holmes.
