Hi, my name is Avis Hinkson and I'm the Dean of Students
and I just wanted to go over a couple of things that frequently come up, maybe you
would want to think about this as the most Frequently Asked Questions, and as you're packing up
your last few things and preparing to head this way I hope that these questions are helpful
to give you some sense of what to look forward to and some basic information about what you can expect when you get here.
Orientation is just an amazing week with a range of activities and things that students will be involved with is so expansive.
I think the highlights include: Running through the gates, that's part of the tradition of Pomona College.
There's also the welcome of that evening the first night and so being together with your entire class
and hearing from administrators as well as upper class students and student leadership
again a real time of feeling like you are apart of it.
Those are two things that first day that will be opportunities to post pictures and think about what it means to be apart of a
a new community and new family.
So for parents, I think it's an emotional day. It again, something you've been planning for
you've been thinking that your student would one day go to college and then the reality of the moment is upon you.
it's just amazing how it hits people at different times. Move-in in the morning is just really just trying to watch
how much your child can pack into one small room, meeting other parents, meeting roommates and friends and thinking
about how your child will develop and grow over the next four years.
You'll also have the opportunity to meet the leadership of the college, to attend information sessions to learn more about the liberal arts,
to learn more about student affairs and activities, ways we support our students, an athletic presentation and then just being on campus
all day and imagining the kinds of things your student is going to engage with over the next couple of years.
It's an emotional day, but it's such a powerful moment to see your student launch into adulthood.
I think the tendency is to pack too much, it's amazing to me how cars will up as if there were no stores
and no opportunity to buy anything that you might forget. Most importantly we have our recoup store which is a sustainable pop up store
that is available to everyone that participates in move in day.
What I would encourage you to think about is what are the comforts of home that will mean alot to your student.
So is there a special blanket, is there a special pillow, or a piece of art, something that you would want to hang on the wall
that would remind you of home. Those are the things that I would encourage you to think about bringing.
And talk to your roommate, make sure you're not both showing up with vacuum cleaners or a mini fridge.
But decide what you're going to bring or what someone else is going to bring but don't bring too much.
I don't think there's any lack of opportunity in options from clubs to trips to lectures to comedy to parties
to all kinds of things to do here at Pomona College and throughout the Claremonts and I think students are worried about "Will I hear about it, will I find out about it."
During Orientation you will participate in an event each night on a different campus so you begin to make friends across the Consortium and begin to hear about
the different clubs and activities.
We also have our Turf Dinner the 2nd or 3rd week, that's a giant club fair, where you learn about all the different clubs and can sign up and get more information
about activities. I wouldn't have any concern about not knowing about the wide array of extracurricular/ co-curricular activities on campus
on campus, but do remember that those activities are everything from religious organizations, to affinity groups, to major related activities
to exploring California. You'll participate in your Outdoor Adventure (OA), and so again you'll get to take advantage of the wealth of opportunities
that exist in the state of California.
There's so many people who are eager to support it's just a matter of you finding out who your most comfortable with and then taking advantage of that resource.
That might be an RA, an upper class student, that might be you're OA leader, again an upper class student. It might be you're sponsor group leader, it might be a faculty member
that you meet on the first day of class. It may be someone in the Dean of Students office. We have a class dean for each class, so first years.
you're going to meet the first year class dean, so she might be the person you turn to when you have questions or concerns, so be confident that you will find that person
that you connect with, that you believe understands who you are, understands your values, understands what makes you laugh, what makes you happy.
And they will be available to you. We are a small community, we work hard to get to know each other. Be confident that you will find that person that you can
turn to as a mentor, as a friend, as a support person.
Can't wait to have you on campus, can't wait to meet you in person, we've been reading your applications and getting to know you through other mediums
we are looking forward to getting to know you in person. So pack up those bags and head this way. And I look forward to meeting you the morning of move-in day.
August 25th. See you then.