Bobcat Student Orientation attracts large crowds of students and parents

Bobcat Student Orientation (BSO) featured new programs, large crowds of students and families, and lots of positive feedback this summer.

Sixteen BSO sessions took place between May 31 and June 30. Three virtual sessions will be held in late July and early August, and one more in-person session will take place on Aug. 18.

“This was a good return to a more in-person, traditional format this year,” said Vincent Prior, director of undergraduate orientation programs. The new students and their families and guests filled the Athens campus this summer, as 4,435 students have taken part in BSO so far, and 5,220 guests have also attended the orientation events.

New features for this year included new breakout sessions, enhanced evening activities and expanded opportunities for students to get to know one another.

“It’s all about introducing them to different people,” Prior said. This helps the students feel comfortable with moving to Ohio University and getting started on their college careers. Many students also chose to attend BSO on the same days as their future roommates so that they could get to know one another.

“Two of my favorite parts of BSO were the escape room and the night activities. During this time, we were able to get a break from the sessions and socialize with others, along with finally meeting people I’ve spent months chatting with on social media,” Skye Cole said. The Columbus resident is planning to enter the College of Health Sciences and Professions this fall as an exercise physiology/pre-physical therapy major.

Tom Martino, who is from Bel Air, Maryland, and will major in biological sciences in the Honors Tutorial College in the fall, said that highlights from BSO were meeting his new roommate, taking part in outdoor activities, enjoying the meals and taking part in the escape room session.

“All the people that we met were extremely nice and friendly. The process was surprisingly entertaining and more relaxed than expected,” Martino said.

Prior thanked all of the students, faculty and staff who worked on BSO this year for their outstanding efforts.

“Our BSO staff was phenomenal,” he said.

And when 35 percent of the BSO staff had to be away from work due to COVID-19 protocols one week, campus partners from several OHIO offices and departments helped out to keep everything running smoothly.

Prior and others are still planning for the four upcoming sessions, and they are also planning ahead for next year.

“I’m excited about taking our experiences from this year and now learning and growing from them as we prepare for 2023,” Prior said.