Olivet Nazarene University

 

Jordan Gerstenberger ’11 had heard the horror stories in high school: College was full of cold, uncaring teachers who were just trying to weed out the students who wouldn’t make it.

So as he packed for college, feelings of excitement coupled with concerns of how to excel in this new phase of his life.

Adjusting to college life is certainly nothing new. Students have always wondered how to balance school work and social time; or how to best study to succeed in the new, challenging environment.

This fall, Olivet has tackled the issue head on. The University’s Center for Student Success launched a freshman year experience designed to equip all new students with the skills they’ll need to succeed through their time at Olivet.

“This is all part of a new way of thinking about how we enroll students: From the moment they arrive, we’re thinking of them as graduates,” says Brock Schroeder, dean of academic support. “The work we do is not isolated — this is a full University effort."

He says this way of thinking has fostered collaborations across campus. The freshman year experience is a joint effort between the Office of Academic Affairs, Office of Student Development and Office of the Chaplain.

‘Jump Start’ to success

Days before classes started, Jordan joined the other 712 anxious freshmen and 332 transfer students for the inaugural Jump Start New Student Conference. Put on by the Center for Student Success, the conference aimed to get new students familiarized with Olivet from the start.

“We wanted the Jump Start conference to reflect that this is a new environment. We wanted to help them get acclimated to college life,” says Beth Olney, director of the Center.

To get students started on the right note, speakers Dr. Tim Elmore and Cynthia Ulrich Tobias led workshops. Topics included leadership development, learning styles and study skills.

Representatives from all areas of campus — from library services to food services — welcomed the students and offered a crash course on college living.

University President John C. Bowling also offered words of encouragement. “I’m convinced that you are not here by accident,” he addressed the crowd. “I really do believe that you are here on the campus of Olivet Nazarene University as part of God’s plan for you.”

Jordan says that although the amount of information was overwhelming at times, he appreciated the efforts of Olivet’s staff to make the transition to college a smooth one. “You could tell a lot of planning went into it — and the speakers were actually good,” he says.

Making the right ‘Connections’

The Jump Start conference didn’t alleviate all the apprehension Jordan felt, though. “The first few days before classes started, I was [online] printing off all the outlines, reading over everything before I got to class. … I had been [going crazy] and everyone was like, ‘Dude, chill out,’” he says, a self-conscious smile creeping over his face.

But much to Jordan’s surprise, the transition from high school to college went much more smoothly than he anticipated. “The professors are actually friendly,” the athletic training major said. “Even though the classes have definitely gotten harder … professors let you know that if you need help, you can go to them.”

One class he takes, as part of the freshman year experience, is the Connections course. The new class follows the Covey curriculum for The Seven Habits of Highly Effective College Students.

The interactive course, led by a staff or faculty member and student mentor, tackles issues like time management, goal setting and proactive behavior.

“We recently had to write personal mission statements for the class,” Jordan says. “I’d never had to do something like that. It helped me know what’s important to me and how to achieve those things.”

A well-rounded education

As Jordan prepares for his second semester, he looks back at all he’s managed to do in his first weeks on campus. The naturally outgoing freshman has easily made friends, joined intramural sports and participated in other campus activities including Ollies Follies. He also got a head start on his career by working in the Department of Athletics.

And he’s even managing to make important decisions. “Sometimes I’ll have two free hours. Do I study? Do I nap? Well, it depends on the day!” he laughs.

Whether he’s napping, studying or socializing with his friends, Jordan is still grateful he made the decision to attend Olivet.

“We have something here at Olivet that is different from other schools, from state schools my friends attend,” he reflects. “From chapel to Christian Formation class — Olivet is concerned about the entire individual. Olivet wants you to form as an all-around person.”