Indiana University East will welcome the Class of 2025 in-person beginning this spring with the start of New Student Orientations, hosted by the Office of Admissions.

IU East is planning to host in-person New Student Orientations beginning in April.

IU East is preparing for a fall 2021 semester that will return to mostly normal operations, meaning more events and classes will be in-person, including sessions for New Student Orientation. The sessions begin mid-April and continue through August. The schedule will soon be available for incoming freshmen students at iue.edu/nso.

In 2020, the Office of Admissions offered virtual orientation sessions for incoming freshmen students because of the COVID-19 pandemic. IU East is looking forward to welcoming newly admitted students to campus in person.

Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Michelle Malott said many of the high school seniors planning to attend IU East in fall 2021 have visited the campus and completed the application process virtually, just as the Class of 2024 did the spring before.  This spring, in-person campus tours have been available to individual prospective students by appointment.

“New Student Orientation may well be the first time many of our new students will physically be on-campus, and we are very excited to welcome the Class of 2025 in-person,” Malott said. “While IU East has adjusted to the pandemic and continued to offer students a virtual experience to visit campus and to become familiar with the academic programs and experiences they will have as a Red Wolf, the in-person experience provides a certain level of familiarity and comfort with faculty, staff and current students.”

Indiana University and IU East adapted to the challenges of the pandemic to continue offering students a quality education in a safe environment. This will continue with New Student Orientations as well. The sessions have a limited number of participants, with each student attending the session accompanied by one parent or support person. Masks must be worn while on campus.

Carrie Reisner, assistant vice chancellor for Student Engagement, said the measures were necessary to continue to move toward a more normal semester in the fall.

“To ensure everyone’s safety, this year’s event will be smaller and more intimate. However, students will still get to meet a wide variety of campus personnel that support students academically and help them feel connected, such as the Office of Student Success, Career Services, Campus Life, our Math and Writing Centers, and Academic Support Programs,” Reisner said. “We look forward to welcoming the Class of 2025!”

Molly Vanderpool, executive director for Admissions, Recruitment and Transitions at IU East, said New Student Orientation is an important event for incoming freshmen as they prepare for a successful start to their college experience.

“Orientation is the time when our new students really become familiar with the campus,” Vanderpool said. “The sessions provide students with the opportunity for a smooth transition as they begin their college career.”

Reisner added the in-person orientation sessions are more than a campus tour. The sessions are a basic introduction to the campus departments and services that work to help students be successful.

“We are thrilled to be able to offer new students an on-campus orientation experience this summer,” Reisner said. “We have always valued the ability to personally connect with students for important steps like advising and registration, as well as critical tasks like setting up user accounts and meeting with financial aid.”

During orientation, students get to know their peers and meet their academic advisors. They become familiar with the campus while completing important tasks to register, learn about academic support programs, get information on financial aid, and more.

Following orientation, incoming students are prepared to start their college career. New students will also have an opportunity to attend an in-person Extreme Summer JUMPSTART, a college prep program offered by the Office of Academic Support prior to the start of the fall semester.

To culminate the start of college events for the Class of 2025, the students will be invited to attend First Year Convocation. The traditional event is a ceremonial beginning to a new student’s academic experience at IU East, where students recite the IU Promise, receive their IU pin and sign their class book. More information about the convocation will be provided at New Student Orientation.

“Within the next five months there’s going to be so much to celebrate for the Class of 2025. Right now their thoughts are focused on completing high school and celebrating their accomplishments with their families and friends,” Malott said. “We’re here to help make their transition to college as smooth as possible so they are ready for fall 2021.”