March 29, 2024

New Student Orientation 2012

UMW Faculty and Staff,

We are excited about new student arrival and Orientation beginning on August 22.  As always, we invite your participation in the events of this week as we look forward to welcoming these students to our campus community.  

Eagle Gathering is a special orientation event being offered Thursday night, August 23, on Ball Circle, and we are asking for your participation to help make it successful.

Eagle Gathering  is a new ritual/rite of passage for our incoming students that we hope will become a cherished UMW tradition. During the program faculty and staff will be acknowledged, the President will provide comments, and we’ll conclude with a candlelight ceremony to welcome students to UMW.  

Faculty should arrive by 9:40 p.m. and the ceremony will conclude by 10:30 p.m.  (Although this program is late in the evening, we believe your attendance will be time well spent. Your participation would certainly be meaningful to our new students.) 

In addition, the link to the complete Orientation schedule is here: August Orientation 2012.  If you have questions regarding the schedule or events, please do not hesitate to call my office at Ext. 1062.  Please note, Honor Convocation is Friday, August 24, in the Anderson Center.  Those faculty and staff who intend on processing should be in Goolrick Hall in academic regalia by 3:30 p.m. – the ceremony will begin promptly at 3:45 p.m.  

We want everyone to be engaged in the new student Orientation process. Our shared understanding of the spirit and goals of Orientation will make the experience better for our new community members. We intend to:
    • Reinforce UMW’s academic priority and community values,
    • Emphasize the personal “connection” between the UMW community and the new student, and
    • Communicate institutional norms, traditions, and school spirit through positive affirmation and high energy! 

To achieve these goals we have a number of programs designed to emphasize our priorities and connect new students to others in the UMW community and to one another.  Research suggests that the first six weeks in a student’s college career is pivotal to their persistence and success.  I believe the more we personally engage our new students during Orientation, the more likely they will become positive, contributing members of our community moving forward.  

Thank you in advance for the role you play in helping our new students acclimate to UMW. 
Sincerely, 

Doug Searcy, Ph.D.
Vice President for Student Affairs
University of Mary Washington
540-654-1062