Comparing first and second semester orientation experiences

When fall-starting first-year students return for their second semester in Bethlehem, students who participate in the Lehigh Launch program in the American West or Ecuador are just beginning to adapt to campus life. 

Lehigh works to help fall-starting first-year students adjust by implementing a four-day fall orientation and a 10-week program called NavigateLU. In contrast, students who sign up for the Lehigh Launch program partake in a non-traditional orientation in the spring of their first year. 

Orientation for fall-starting first-years includes Thursday night programming focused on health, safety and well-being, Friday programming focused on academics and immersing students in the South Bethlehem community and Saturday programming focused on what it means to be a member of Lehigh’s community, according to Stefanie Burke, the director of first-year experience. 

However, Lehigh Launch and transfer students participate in a much smaller-scale orientation in January that does not include NavigateLU experiences.

In 2019, NavigateLU was integrated into the Lehigh first-year experience to encourage students to check in with their orientation leaders, meet faculty and staff and attend 5×10 events to learn more about campus resources.

Burke said the overall goal of NavigateLU is to set students up for success by building a support network and solid transition. 

“I love NavigateLU because it’s that one-on-one touch that we have here at Lehigh that a lot of other schools can’t necessarily do,” Burke said. 

Makena Spiotta, ‘26, an orientation leader this past fall, said she recognizes how NavigateLU can seem tedious and annoying for first-years, but she feels it’s a beneficial experience. 

“I didn’t like 5x10s until my orientation training because the way that Stefanie Burke explains it is that it is really just a way for students to learn important information,” Spiotta said. “I wish that I had gone to more.” 

Elle Segal, ‘27, participated in the traditional orientation experience in August and said it was nice to have a program to help her and other first-year students find their way around. 

Segal said one of the most beneficial aspects of the overall NavigateLU program is when students meet individually with faculty and staff collaborators because it provided a space for her to discuss her future plans and Lehigh acclimation process personally. 

“It was definitely helpful because I got to map out everything that was going on in my head,” Segal said. “It made things more clear.”  

Burke is a member of the steering committee for Lehigh Launch and said the orientation for the program isn’t the typical four-day experience other students receive, since it’s catered to 30 to 40 students rather than 1,500 of them. 

“We can’t necessarily do all the things that we do (in August) and to scale,” Burke said.

She said Lehigh Launch students and transfer students do team-building activities, learn information in a roundtable manner, have access to resources, are encouraged to connect with people in NavigateLU and take part in programs like Camp Hawk Snowed In. 

The Office of First Year Experience also takes these students to a South Bethlehem restaurant for lunch and gives them an orientation leader as a source to reach out to. 

“We keep the goals the same, just on a smaller scale,” Burke said.

Katy Rene, the assistant director of study abroad who works in program development for the Lehigh Launch Ecuador program, said changes are occurring in the American West Launch program to help students feel more connected to campus. 

Rene said this is the first year the American West Launch program incorporated a program assistant — something already incorporated in the Ecuador program. This assistant is a recent Lehigh graduate who is helping the students feel connected to the campus even though they are not there. 

She said the program assistant will do things with students they would experience if they were on Lehigh’s campus, like 5x10s. She said they would also connect students with clubs they’re interested in and host social events to replicate what happens on campus. 

“I think having that person as a contact who’s recently been through the experience, who had leadership experience on campus working with underclassmen, really probably helped prepare the (Ecuador Launch) students for that transition,” Rene said. 

Christopher Driscoll, a professor of religious studies at Lehigh and one of the lead faculty for the American West Launch program, is currently teaching courses in Wyoming. 

He said the American West Launch students partake in the orientation program for transfer students, but they also partake in a summation event that brings together the students from the Lehigh Launch American West and Ecuador programs to build a community.  

Driscoll said the program assistant for the American West program is working closely with the students to make sure they’re comfortable and helping to bridge the gap between students and faculty. 

“There’s only so close that a relationship can go between the professor and the student because the power dynamic is different,” Driscoll said. “The program assistant is to kind of offset that difference.” 

Petra Oganovich, ‘26, took part in the American West Lehigh Launch program and spent her first semester at Lehigh with seven other students in Wyoming and New Mexico, away from technology. She said it was a great way to start college and the experience made her a more well-rounded person. 

Oganovich said she felt the spring orientation could have done a better job of covering practical things, and she and her friends definitely felt behind on Lehigh culture when they first came to campus. 

“When we got to campus, we didn’t know how to go to the dining hall and swipe in or anything about how to get to class. I was pretty lost,” Oganovich said. “It definitely wasn’t a normal orientation.” 

Burke said any student, specifically transfer students or students who come to campus mid-year, should “give themselves some grace” if they’re feeling lost. 

Emma Moriarty, ‘25, who participated in the American West Lehigh Launch program with Oganovich, said it pushed her out of her comfort zone and was one of the best decisions she’s made.  

However, she said she felt the spring orientation could have been improved if it focused more on helping the Lehigh Launch students connect with other students. She said her cohort stuck together for the rest of the school year because it was hard to make new friends that weren’t already part of a group. 

“I think connecting with other students would have been a great help, just to better adjust,” Moriarty said.

Burke said orientation is important for everyone, whether someone is transferring from another institution or brand new to college. 

“When you get thrown into a new situation with change, ambiguity is always hard,” Burke said.

She said the Office of First-Year Experience is open to student suggestions on how to make the traditional orientation process better. 

Driscoll said coordinators of Lehigh Launch are also always working to improve their program. 

Burke said it’s important for students who are still not yet acclimated after orientation to speak up and take advantage of the resources available. 

“Transition and change is hard, and there’s a lot of support here,” Burke said.