The incoming freshmen sitting in the packed Wells Hall classroom laughed as Holden Hall complex director Joshua Gillespie threw a condom onto a student's desk Monday morning. He was explaining how condoms and other random personal items could appear in the most unexpected places when it comes to living in a dorm room.
As one of the guest speakers at the Maximizing Academic Growth in College camp, or MAGIC, Gillespie highlighted how to prepare for the ups and downs of living on campus.
"It hits every important issue, from roommates to sex and how that all impacts their lives," he said.
The Office of Racial Ethnic Student Affairs holds two sessions of an orientation-style camp in July, each lasting one week for incoming freshmen, specifically focusing on racial ethnic minority students. From dealing with a roommate to meeting with an academic adviser, the camp offers many workshops.
ORESA-run student organizations are promoted at the camp as well. The office contacted students by mail or through admissions presentations.
"I wanted to see students get a longer and better experience as far as the orientation process," said Murray Edwards, the office's senior coordinator. "I thought it was important to try to address as many issues as possible that students bring to college in terms of wanting to be successful."
Edwards created the program almost 10 years ago and has tracked the retention rate of participants. According to Edwards, 97 percent of participants stay in college for at least the first two years.
The high retention rate can be attributed to the camp's combined academic and social preparation, making freshmen less intimidated or surprised about college situations in the fall, said Rob Biddle, the office's coordinator.
"We try to pre-expose them to the student life," Biddle said. "We take the time to expand on the information given at the Academic Orientation Program and enhance it with more opportunities to make contact with current students and to have first-hand experiences."
Students get a feel for the college life by eating in the cafeteria, rooming with a stranger and attending workshops held in lecture halls.
"I feel like I'm going to college already because going to these workshops is like going to classes," said Amber Williams,.
Camp staff member Emily Sorroche, who is a part of the Native American Indian Student Organization and Culturas de las Razas Unidas, didn't attend the camp program as a freshman, but said she wishes she had.
"My college experience would definitely be different if I had attended MAGIC," the music education senior said.
"I would know more faces and have more of a heads up on everything before coming here."
