Graduate Student Orientation

Fall 2011 Graduate Student Orientation:California State University Fullerton

Learning Domains:

Leadership	Social Advocacy and Justice	Education	Assessment and Evaluation	Personal Development
		X		X

Description:

The entry describes my volunteer experience at the first ever campus-wide Graduate Student Orientation at California State University, Fullerton (CSUF) that took place on September 17, 2011 and was hosted by the CSUF Graduate Studies Office.  I participated as a volunteer for this event in the hope to learn more about different resources available to graduate students on the CSUF campus.  As a new graduate student, I sought out this event as an opportunity to become more informed and better prepared for a successful beginning in the Master‘s of Science Higher Education program (MSHE).

Learning Outcomes:

SWiBAT:  assist with event setup and workshop facilitation, and other duties as assigned at the orientation

SWiBAT: identify(knowledge) 2 suggestions from the students on the graduate student panel to apply in my personal life

SWiBAT:  recommend (evaluate) 5 campus resources beneficial to graduate studies after attending the orientation

Assessment Rubric:

	Advanced	Competent	Basic	Needs Improvement
SLO # 1	I went above and beyond in assisting with event setup and workshop facilitation, and other duties as was assigned at the orientation	I effectively assisted with event setup and workshop facilitation, and other duties as assigned at the orientation	I assisted with  some assigned   duties, at the orientation, but did complete all tasks that were required of me	I did not assist with any assigned duties or failed to attend the event
SLO # 2	I identified  2 suggestions from the   students on the graduate student panel to apply in my personal life and described how applying them  will benefit me	I identified 2 suggestions from the students on the graduate student panel to apply in my personal life	I identified 1 suggestion from the students on the graduate student panel to apply in my personal life	I did not identify any suggestion from the students on the graduate student panel to apply in my personal life
SLO # 3	I recommend more than 5 campus resources beneficial to graduate studies after I attended the orientation	I recommend more than 3-4 campus resources beneficial to graduate studies after I  attended the orientation	I recommend more than 1-2 campus resources beneficial to graduate studies after I  attended the orientation	I cannot recommend any campus resources beneficial to graduate studies after I  attended the orientation

Evidence:

Official thank you letter from the Office of Graduate Studies 

Office of Graduate Studies Fall 2011 News Letter

Reflection:

I am glad that took the opportunity to volunteer for the Graduate Student Orientation as it came at a perfect time for my start at a graduate student at  California State University Fullerton.  My primary role as a volunteer was providing assistance to the Graduate Studies Office staff in facilitating two sessions of a graduate student panel.   The panel consisted for 4 students from various math, business, and science graduate programs. I was in charge of keeping the sessions on track with time and ensuring that the panelists and the session facilitator did not miss any questions (raised hands) from the audience.  It was interesting to hear from the graduate student panelists about their experiences studying at California State University, Fullerton.  From partaking in the graduate student panel sessions, I heard  them sharing helpful tips and suggestions on how to deal with the common challenges of graduate school.  One suggestion in particular that resonated with me was asking your loves ones for support and understanding.  One panelist explained that her graduate program seems to have cyclical phases when the workload either decreases or increases.  Consequently, she plans events to spend with her loved ones in advance. I am going to use her suggestion in my own life to help me feel more supported as I go through my graduate program. I am going to make it a point to communicate with my loved ones about my availability as it relates to the program’s high and low points.  I am also going to be intentional about planning events and gatherings in advance with my family and friends as a strategy to motivate to keep going as I look forward to them.  Another helpful suggestion mentioned by one of the graduate sudent panelists emphasized the importance of networking. Although I was aware that networking was important prior to attending the orientation, I realized that networking as a graduate student was vital to my future career and success. One panelist explained being well-connected could open new doors as it helped him obtain a full-time job in his field of study.  Being well-connected as a student affairs professional can also translate into new employment and career advancement opportunities.  I am going to commit to expand my professional network in student affairs while pursing the MSHE program.  When it comes to helpful graduate student resources, I was able to identify 6 resources that I would recommend to other graduate students at CSUF: 1) Graduate Studies Office, 2) Graduate Student Orientation, 3) Graduate Writing Workshops, 4) The Faculty/Student Mentoring Program, 5) Graduate Student Research Funds, 6) Graduate Equity Program.  Personally, I plan to attend at least one Graduate Writing Workshop and apply for funding towards a conference from the Graduate Student Research Funds.  I believe the first ever campus-wide Graduate Student Orientation was very successful and I hope that the Graduate Studies Office continues to hold it every year to support new graduate students at California State University, Fullerton.