2007-08 Academic Catalog	home FAQs request

Transition into the Academic Community

Orientation

Prior to the opening of the academic year each fall, four days are dedicated to Orientation activities for new students. These activities are planned with the needs of incoming students in mind and focus on preparing new students academically and personally for making a positive transition to Concordia. During Orientation, students learn more about Concordia, receive helpful advice for academic success, meet new people, learn about course offerings and register for courses. Events planned during Orientation are designed to facilitate students’ academic and social integration into the college community. Highlights of the Orientation program are the traditional Cobber beanie, the Welcome Show, the Faculty Mentor program and Hands for Change. The week is planned and coordinated by a student Orientation Committee comprised of nine students who work closely with approximately 80 upperclass students called Orientation Leaders. The Orientation Leaders, along with faculty mentors, are assigned to work with small groups of incoming students called “clubs” during Orientation. For more information, visit http://www.ConcordiaCollege.edu/student/orientation.

Academic Advising

A central component of a Concordia education is the partnership between you, the student, and your faculty adviser. In this partnership, your adviser will:

• help you understand and articulate the nature of a liberal arts education as a commitment to lifelong learning, aid you in determining career goals based on your aptitudes and interests, and help you outline a course of study that will enable you to achieve those goals and find your vocation
• provide you with the necessary information and guide you to the appropriate institutional resources as academic and developmental issues arise
• assist you in obtaining the maximum benefit from your total educational experiences by identifying emerging interests and relating those interests to opportunities in and outside the classroom
• assist you in understanding the policies and regulations that give structure to your educational experience

Advisement is a process that will encourage you to begin refining your educational, career and life goals. The faculty-student partnership is a continuous process of clarification and evaluation that will help you tailor the many educational opportunities at Concordia to your personal interests, abilities and needs.

Each first-year student is assigned a faculty adviser. Students are encouraged to meet with their advisers outside of scheduled advising times. While your adviser is there to assist you, you are responsible for knowing the regulations and policies as listed in the catalog, and for meeting the requirements for your chosen degree.

First-Year Experience

Concordia College is committed to the holistic development of our students by engaging students in curricular and cocurricular pursuits. The first year of college is foundational to each student’s academic and personal success and to your persistence in pursuing the goal of obtaining an undergraduate education.

Summer registration is a program devoted to first-year students and their parents to inform them about the academic and student life of the college. During the summer registration sessions held in June, students preregister for fall semester courses with personal assistance from faculty members. In addition, students and parents participate in a variety of group information sessions.

Orientation clubs are formed based on course registration. Through this initiative, students move through Orientation into two of their fall semester courses as a group. This facilitates the development of a learning community within those courses.

There are many involvement opportunities for Concordia’s first-year students. Becoming involved in cocurricular activities facilitates students’ personal development, interaction with other students, and creation of community and leadership development. One opportunity for involvement is LeadNow, the campuswide leadership development program. Students participate in sessions, experiential learning opportunities and meetings with a leader mentor to earn leadership credentials. In addition, there are more than 100 campus organizations reflecting interests in many different areas including academics, athletics, programming, special interest, service and media/literature. With all of these different opportunities, students are able to participate in an organization that contributes to and complements their educational goals and objectives. As students begin to explore their opportunities, they are encouraged to attend the Cobber Expo — an event held each September when campus organizations are showcased and students can ask questions that will enable them to make informed involvement choices.