Fall 2008 Freshman & Transfer Move-In:
Saturday, August 23rd

Last name ending in (A-Z) will move in during the following times:
A - D 9:00 - 11:00 AM
E - K 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM
L - P 1:00 - 3:00 PM
Q - Z 3:00 - 5:00 PM

We are excited to provide fall programs for new students that will assist them as they transition to the ESU experience:

New Student Mentors

New students can utilize upper class Orientation Leader ("OL") Mentors to aid them in becoming successful students at the University. Mentors work to enable new students to:

• Understand and meet the academic responsibilities associated with university-level classes
• Access University resources
• Wisely manage their time at the University level
• Become involved in productive co-curricular opportunities
• Build positive relationships with peers, faculty, staff, and the community beyond the University
• Discover the unique possibilities afforded them as members of the University community.

Peer Advising Leadership (PAL) Program

The mission of the PAL program is to assist new first-year students of color to successfully navigate their campus community and nurture a sense of belonging. PAL seeks to help undergraduate students of color (specifically freshmen and new transfer students) achieve intellectual and personal success at ESU. PAL is designed to promote and facilitate interactions between new students of color and upper class students, faculty and staff. Opportunities include:

• Mentoring
• Campus Involvement
• Leadership Venues
• Academic and Career Guidance
• Scholastic Stimulation
• Community Awareness and Involvement

Housed within PAL, is ESU's Minority Male Minority Mentoring Initiative (3MI). National statistics indicate a need for specific university male retention initiatives. 3MI specifically addresses the needs of male students of color by offering mentoring, social networking and group programming to advance the students' adjustment and their potential for academic achievement.

The ultimate goal of PAL, and of 3MI, is to positively affect the retention of students of color at ESU.

Academic Convocation: Thursday, August 28th, 2:00 PM, Abeloff Center for the Performing Arts

Academic Convocation is the formal opening of the academic year for new students at ESU. It introduces new students to:

• The dignity of University ceremonies
• The structure of the University and the individuals who serve in its leadership positions
• Academic regalia and their meanings
• The ESU Promise: A Commitment to Civility
• The ESU Alma Mater
• Distinguished Faculty Awardees

The Chair of the University Council of Trustees, the University President, the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, the President of the Faculty Association, the President of Student Senate, and an invited guest speaker who is typically a recent graduate or current student, all provide remarks about University opportunities, roles, responsibilities and expectations.

BALANCE:
Being an Active Learner Among New Collegiate Experiences

BALANCE is a weekly series of workshops that provides new students with strategies to successfully balance the multitude of components associated with university life. Workshop topics include, but are not limited to:

• Developing research and writing skills
• Successfully interacting with professors
• Managing time and stress
• Effectively taking notes and tests
• Strategies for retention of textbook material
• Budgeting and wise use of credit
• Techniques for choosing a major
• Developing healthy academic, personal, interpersonal, and social lifestyles

Look on the ESU Homepage under "Upcoming Events" and look for posters on campus that will provide the semester workshop schedule (all workshops are held during non-class times on Tuesdays between 2:00 and 4:00 PM).

The University’s BALANCE program has been nationally recognized for the past three years as a "Best College Character Program" for first-year students by the Journal of College and Character.