It is only weeks before the start of the Spring 2022 semester, and SNU is busily preparing to welcome its newest members, the incoming students. The Division of Student Service has recently finished recruiting passionate mentor students for its first-year orientation program, “Freshmen Orientation.” These mentors will plan and execute the event, which centers on providing programs that help first-year student adjust to campus life and harmonize with students from diverse backgrounds and various majors.
Mentor recruitment met with booming interest
The Division of Student Service has annually recruited mentors from the student body since 2012. Candidates are screened by an initial document examination, followed by an interview. In the document review, the applicants are selected based on their motivation for applying and their experience with group activities. The interview evaluates the applicants’ communication skills, proactivity, and cooperative spirit. This year’s recruitment class had 243 applicants, of whom 78 were selected as mentors. Program director Jeon Sungkyu of the Division of Student Services commended the quality of this year’s applicants: “There were so many promising candidates that it was difficult to select.”
An executive board consisting of eight mentors is in charge of planning the event and drafting the program guidelines. This year, Lee Hoyoung (Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development) is serving as the head of the executive board. Inspired by the good memories from his own experience with the program as a first-year student, he has participated in the program for five consecutive years. “I hope that the first-years will feel the genuine spirit of support and encouragement that we have for them,” Lee said.
“Freshmen Orientation” returns as a face-to-face event
Unlike last year, when the first-year orientation was held online, this year’s program is planned as a face-to-face event. In accordance with current COVID-19 regulations, the program is scheduled to be held in five separate sessions, with 250 students participating in each session. Prior reservation will be required to participate.
The program is composed of two parts. The first part consists of a general overview of the university, featuring lectures by invited guests. In the second half, first-year students and their mentors will break up into groups of around 30 and participate in team activities. While most of the program will take place in the University Cultural Center, the team activities will take the groups all around campus, serving as a campus tour for the new students. For those who are unable to attend in person, the first half of the program will be broadcast online.
Lee Doshin of the Department of Textiles, Merchandising and Fashion Design and a member of the executive board, was effusive in his enthusiasm for the program. “We went through a lot of planning to ensure that the first-year students adapt well to university life. I hope the mentors and mentees alike make good memories while abiding by the COVID-19 regulations.” Lee also added that he is thinking of ways to continue to advise and mentor first-year students even after the orientation ends.
Freshmen Orientation takes place over January and February. Details for the February event will be posted on the program’s Facebook (www.facebook.com/snufreshman) and Instagram (@snuot.official) accounts. If you are a first-year student nervous about university life, register and get some reassuring guidance from one of these passionate and experienced mentors!
Source: https://www.snu.ac.kr/snunow/snu_story?md=v&bbsidx=134893
Written by Jaeyong lee, SNU English Editor, moonn6pence@snu.ac.kr
Reviewed by Professor Travis Smith, Department of Asian Languages and Civilizations, tlsmith@snu.ac.kr