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How to Host a Successful New
Graduate Student Orientation
Presenters:
James Crane & Janice Robinson
Brigham Young University
Email: [email protected] [email protected]
Session ID: D6
November 8, 2010
3:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
PACRAO - Calgary
Why hold new student orientations?





Opportunity to welcome students to university
from Graduate Studies
Only chance for new graduate students
across all disciplines to meet together and
exchange ideas
Opportunity to hear from President of
University in a graduate setting
Introduce students to your office and other
services on campus
Orient students to campus and city
Hurdles of hosting an orientation
$$$
 AVP support needed
 Takes time
 Requires extensive coordination
 Campus services are not always reliable

Goals and objectives
Introduce campus services and local
amenities
 Introduce graduate culture
 Promote
P
t Graduate
G d t Studies’
St di ’ services
i
 Introduce Graduate Student Society
 Preview the Electronic Thesis
requirement

1
Graduate Student Orientation

Just how do you plan a successful
event?
How did we get started?






Identified need for additional direction and
increased communication with incoming
students
Determined that an orientation would
address issues
Researched other university orientations
Determined event format
Estimated Budget needed
Identified possible funding sources (Student
Life, Graduate Studies, Students,
Departments, etc.).
How did we get started? (Continued)




Submitted request to the Dean of Student
Life to fund all or at least help fund dinner.
(Dean approved to fund 1/2 of dinner and
agreed to provide plated dinner at cost)
Graduate Studies agreed to cover balance
Identified businesses to target for donations
Received approval to give away three tuition
scholarships
2
Possible funding options
Request additional budget
 Solicit funds from services on campus or
departments
 Charge
Ch
admission
d i i ffee
 Don’t serve plated dinner
 Finger foods or dessert buffet
 Solicit donations from local businesses

Who and What?
All new Spring, Summer and Fall
graduate students are invited. Winter
admits of same calendar year are also
invited
 Graduate Student Information Fair
 Graduate Student Dinner
 Drawing for tuition scholarships, BYU
services, and gift certificates from local
businesses.

Early preparation for the event
Schedule rooms in advance
Secure event date with Dining Services
 Invite speaker
 Set dates for initial student invite, RSVP
deadlines, and dinner ticket pickup
 Set dates to have all publicity and fair
passports ready


3
How do we do it?
Have IT or Webmaster create online
RSVP
 Initial invitation sent by email
 Include
I l d lilinkk to
t online
li RSVP
 Use RSVP list to generate name tags
which also serve as dinner ticket

Getting donations
Identify local eateries, etc
 Draft a generic letter from Asst Dean
 Log phone numbers and websites for
contact
t t lilistt
 Put donors’ websites on a Grad Studies
page that you link in your email invites to
students
 Purchase on campus gift cards, t-shirts

Info Fair Participants

Contact/visit campus services and invite
them to participate in fair and promote
services. Traffic Office, Health Center, International
Services, Recreational Services, Fine Arts, Library,
Dining Services
Services, Housing
Housing, Statistical Analysis
Analysis, Univ
Univ.
Accessibility, Counseling Center, Women’s Research
Center, BYUGSS, Graduate Studies, Writing Center,
ETD, etc.

Provide booths, tablecloths, and candy
for each booth
4
Information Fair – Why come?
Opportunity to familiarize themselves
with campus services
 Visiting each booth increases chances to
win in the tuition drawing
 Dinner tickets available for pick up
 Convenient time during day 11:00 - 4:00
 Candy at each booth & fun giveaways

If it’s free, they will come!
Free dinner
 Drawing for tuition scholarships, 1 full,
and 2 half
 Drawing
D
i ffor statistical
t ti ti l package
k
 Drawing for 100 prizes by campus
services and local businesses

Nitty Gritty – Prize drawing
Passport listing all booths at the fair
Stamp at each booth available
 Tickets given for booths visited
 2 buckets – 1 for tuition drawing, 1 for
other prizes


5
Awarding 100’s of prizes





Winning tickets are drawn at the close of the
fair
Winners are recorded on a spreadsheet with
prizes listed
p
Provide 3 copies per table
Dinner attendees can look at list during dinner
to see if they won a prize
Tuition Scholarships are drawn at the end of
the dinner
I forgot to RSVP!
Have a cancellation list; instruct to put
“Cancel” in the email subject line if they
can’t come
 As cancellations become available
available,
replace with late RSVPs
 Night of the dinner procedure – Line up,
write name tag, empty seats released at
6:15

Department involvement
Departments hand out passports –
serves as reminder
 All coordinators and secretaries are
invited to serve as hosts
 Optional meet and greet before dinner
 Departments promote in welcome letters

6
Lessons Learned
3-day window to pick up dinner tickets
 Prizes under chairs – extra fun
 Water and cups at the fair
 Subtract 10% from RSVP list for dinner
count
 Edit emails and letters from prior years
 Plastic nametag holders / printable
business cards - NO sticky name tags

Lessons Learned (Continued)
Take pictures of event for website
Reserved tables for VIP’s, with hand
picked students
 Reserved tables in back of room for late
comers
 Wrap up meeting- staff input
 Map of the fair, define procedures, lists
 Thank you party for staff


7
SAMPLE E-MAIL INVITE / REMINDER LETTER
Dear (student name),
We are pleased you have chosen Brigham Young University to pursue your graduate
education. We are committed to providing you with the best education and experience
possible.
You are invited to join us for our annual orientation event on Thursday, September 9. An
information fair will be held during the day to introduce campus services available for
graduate students. “An Evening for New Graduate Students” will begin at 6 p.m. with a
formal welcome followed by dinner. Our guest speaker will discuss ways that you can
enhance your graduate experience.
•
•
•
Date: September 9
Information Fair: 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Wilkinson Center Garden Court
Dinner: 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Wilkinson Center Ballroom
You must RSVP for dinner no later than 4 p.m. on September 2 by visiting the following
web link: http://www.byu.edu/gradstudies/dinner/
OR by calling our office at (801) 422-4091. These events, particularly the dinner, have been
extremely popular in the past, so we hope you will join us this year.
The dinner requires tickets, which you may pick up at the Former Presidents' Home,
September 7 and 8. (You may request a vegetarian meal when you RSVP.)
We hope you are having an enjoyable summer and look forward to seeing you in September.
Sincerely,
James Crane
Assistant Dean, Graduate Studies
Supply sources:
Plastic name tag holders:
KLEERTECH, 2380 N. Lark, Fenton, MO 63026-4330; phone: 877.552.2343,
option 1; email: www.kleertech.com
Item # 18-008-1001-002; description: Stock TS8 with bulldog clip, 8 gauge clear,
CR80 insert. The cost in July 2010 was $162.60 for 1,000 name tags. Holds a
business card perfectly.
Avery printable Business cards (perforated for easy separation) Avery 8371
Card size: 2” x 3.5” 250 per pack, 10 per sheet.
Prize drawing tickets: any roll of numbered tickets with double tickets per
number – students keep one and one goes into the drawing. Purchase at
Partyland.
New Graduate Student Orientation Planning Timeline & Responsibilities
Plan Week
(For September 9 2010)
done Task Description
Assigned to
9/20
3/27
Submit request for WSC facilities
Confirm schedule of WSC facilities
Janice
Janice
6/2
6/13
6/13
Prepare and send memo to grad depts
Set date for RSVP deadline (2 Sep 2010)
Write letter of invitation to grad students
Janice
Janice
Janice/Janice
7/2
7/2
7/11
7/11
Select possible keynote speakers
President's welcome speaker
Write letters to door prize donors
Order plastic name holders (need 1200)
James/Bonnie
Janice/Bonnie
James/Janice
Janice
7/18
Activate & update RSVP linik
Update HTML file & CGI program
Run Query for delimited text file of students
Place all files in cgi-bin folder
Purchase raffle tickes from Partyland
Make decision on keynote speaker (Sandra Rogers)
Webmaster
Webmaster
Janice
Webmaster
Janice
Bonnie/JeNeal
7/25
Send memo to grad depts (including meet & greet)
E-Mail letter of invitation to grad students
Make list of VIP invitations (include Grad Council)
Create formal invitation for VIPs
Implement short survey w/ RSVP
Janice
Janice
Janice/JeNeal
Publications intern
Webmaster
8/1
Guest Services re 2 escorts at ballroom entrances
Contact Info Fair participants
Arrange for harpist/pianist for dinner (pay $75.00)
Order perforated business cards
Ask GSA to help w/ ETD booth at Info Fair
Inivte GSA officers to give prayers at dinner
Janice
Janice
Janice
Janice
Janice
Janice
8/8
E-mail letter follow up to grad students
Schedule dinner menu planning meeting w/ Dining Services
Mail invitations to VIPs, Assoc Deans, etc.
Mail invitations to Grad Coord and Grad Secretaries
Prepare tentative evening program outline
Check on wireless Internet connections for Info Fair
Get Vita for speaker (Sandra Rogers)
Check on signs directing students in WSC
Get banner made for Clair & James' booth
WSC Scheduling for setup at Info Fair
WSC Scheduling for Garden Court "Meet & Greet"
WSC Scheduling for setup at ballroom
Campus Scheduling for US & international flags
Janice
James
JeNeal
Janice
Janice/JeNeal
Janice
Janice
Janice
Janice
Janice
Janice
Janice
Janice
8/15
Get head count of RSVPs
Put notification of events in Annual Conf agenda
Get new ETD Brochures printed
Purchase good candy from Sam's Club
Send information to Info Fair booth participants
IT Services: music in room, microphone & AV for Info Fair
Webmaster/Janice
JeNeal/Janice
Janice
Janice
Janice
Janice
8/22
Get head count of RSVPs
Ask GSA to serve as dinner hosts
Submit ad to Daily Universe on event
Take Passports to UPB for printing (500 sheets)
Pickup Passports from press
Distribute Passsports to departments
Purchase Bookstore certificates
Purchase Skyroom gift certificates
Print OGS brochure to be distributed at Info Fair
Prepare other handouts for GS booths
Borrow/rent drum for mixing prize drawing tickets
Arrange Daily Universe news coverage
Webmaster/Janice
Janice
Janice
Webmaster/Janice
Webmaster/Janice
Janice/Janice
Janice
Janice
James/Janice
James/Claire
Janice
Janice
8/29
Get head count of RSVPs
Prepare year summary stats for Dean of Grad. Studies
Check with Athletic Dept on tickets & All Sport Passes
Check on Perf. Arts tickets donation
Print enough extra blank name tags
Reminder notice to grad students
Memo reminder to grad coordidnators & secretaries
Pickup donated door prizes
Set up seating chart for VIPs in ballroom
Call VIPs re invitation reminder
Prepare cancellation list for dinner
Print numbered late-comers list
Print scholarship certificates
Finalize evening program & review with Dean of Grad St
Fix HTML file re RSVP deadline
Print master list of RSVPs
Print host tags for tables
Print instr cards for those not RSVP
Print & laminate signs for prize tables
Daily Universe re news coverage
Janice re Info Fair Booth arrangement
Separate and sort/arrange name tags
Take-out catering: order for 2 containers of water
Webmaster/Janice
Nathan
Janice
Janice
Webmaster
Janice
Janice
James/Janice
Janice
Janice
Webmaster
Janice
Publications intern
JeNeal/Janice
Webmaster
Webmaster
Webmaster
Front desk
Staff
Janice
Janice/Janice
Front desk
Janice
9/3
Call in RSVP count to dining services (+ veg meals)
Reminder to grad coord & deans
Send final schedule/reminder to Pres & keynote
Contact MPA & EMBA re eve students attending dinner
Print name tags on Avery Business cards
Prepare sign re "name tags = your ticket for entrance"
Confirm with Info Fair participants
Type new prize list for drawing
Create large list of prizes for posting at Info Fair
Confirm needs with WSC scheduling
Request American & Utah flags for on stage
Arrange for sound system through large speakers
Delineate stand-by procedures
Prepare VIP table/name place settings
Prize list breakdown for Bonnie
Email reminder to grad coord & secretaries
Prepare front desk student assignments
Confirm with Julie Edholm, Harpist
Janice
Janice
JeNeal
James
Webmaster
Janice
Janice
Janice/Breann
Janice
Janice
Janice
Janice
Janice
Janice
Janice
Janice
Janice
Janice
9/7
Start passing out name tags (tickets)
Get check cut for pianoist/harpist
E-mail reminder to RSVP list to pick up tickets at GS
Front desk
James
Janice/Webmaster
9/7
Notify ASB & WSC Info desks about events on Thursday
Make sign (Please Scan Your BYU ID Card Here)
Janice
Janice
9/8
Assemble supplies for evening dinner
Collect & prepare posters & banners
Assign someone to take pictures at Info Fair
Assign someone to greet at doors of Info Fair
Arrange for light lunch for Info Fair participants
Purchase balloons for GS booths as eye catchers
Janice
Janice
Janice
Janice
Janice
Janice
9/9
Pick up candy from Bookstore candy counter
Take-out catering provide water and cups for attendees
Go help with Info Fair setup
Take supplies over for Info Fair
Setup ETD Booth including computer(s)
Distribute candy and stamp markers at each booth
Set up water on table in center of room
Set up easels with directional signs & others
Put up entrance/exit signs and GS banners
Decorate balcony with flags & post US & Utah flags
Janice
Janice
Janice
Staff
Janice/Staff
Staff
Staff
Staff
Staff
Janice/Staff
Put reserved signs on each booth table
Put two host tags at each table
Put raffle tickes at each non-host seat
Tape perf tickets under 1-2 seats/table
Do prize drawing from info fair tickets
Prepare prize list & copy
Put 2 copies of prize list at each table
Set up prize tables up front with signs
Have 3x5 card for tuition awards
Count empty chairs during dinner
Everyone leave name tag holders to recycle
Janice/Staff
Staff
Staff
Staff
Staff
Staff
Staff
Staff
Staff
Janice
Bonnie/James
9/9
dinner setup
9/20
Thank you notes to all participants
Prepare final budget of total costs
Prepare & administer student surveys
Media Services for copy of video tape of talks
Thank you letter to all VIPs
Possibly flowers for Dining Services Representaive
Hold debriefing meeting on events
Janice
Janice
Janice
Janice
JeNeal
James
Sample Prize List
Draw random tickets, record number and color next to prize name. Then sort by color, and then
put each color in alpha order to easily see if you are a winner.
Ticket
Color
599084
599365
599386
599445
599646
599666
599827
599887
600323
600637
600736
600966
116160
116200
116279
116300
116341
116501
116621
116721
116760
116761
116860
116920
116981
117060
117180
117260
117620
117721
117821
117860
117901
117921
441135
441216
441341
BLUE
BLUE
BLUE
BLUE
BLUE
BLUE
BLUE
BLUE
BLUE
BLUE
BLUE
BLUE
GREEN
GREEN
GREEN
GREEN
GREEN
GREEN
GREEN
GREEN
GREEN
GREEN
GREEN
GREEN
GREEN
GREEN
GREEN
GREEN
GREEN
GREEN
GREEN
GREEN
GREEN
GREEN
ORANGE
ORANGE
ORANGE
Prize
Ticket
Color
Movie Tickets (Cinemark 16)
$100 Graduate Scholarship
Performance Tickets (BYU)
Performance Tickets (BYU)
$100 Graduate Scholarship
Skyroom Gift Certificate
P.F. Chang's
Los Hermanos
Pita Pit (Free Pita)
Hale Center Theater Tickets
BYU Bookstore Gift Card ($25)
BYU Bookstore Gift Card ($25)
P.F. Chang's
BYU Bookstore Gift Card ($25)
Supersonic Car Wash
Performance Tickets (BYU)
BYU Bookstore Gift Card ($25)
Skyroom Gift Certificate
Movie Tickets (Cinemark 16)
Athletics All-Sport Passes
IHOP ( 2 complimentary meals)
See's Candy
BYU Bookstore Gift Card ($25)
Café Rio
Skyroom Gift Certificate
Skyroom Gift Certificate
Café Rio
$100 Graduate Scholarship
$100 Graduate Scholarship
Pita Pit (Free Pita)
Brick Oven
Hale Center Theater Tickets
BYU Bookstore Gift Card ($25)
Skyroom Gift Certificate
Café Rio
Performance Tickets (BYU)
Hale Center Theater Tickets
442731
442858
442878
442927
290021
290022
290057
290077
290336
290356
290396
290476
290493
290516
290556
496148
496269
496488
496628
496649
496709
496763
496803
496804
496843
496859
497066
497181
497242
497321
497622
497682
497808
497828
497908
497970
065021
ORANGE
ORANGE
ORANGE
ORANGE
RED
RED
RED
RED
RED
RED
RED
RED
RED
RED
RED
VIOLET
VIOLET
VIOLET
VIOLET
VIOLET
VIOLET
VIOLET
VIOLET
VIOLET
VIOLET
VIOLET
VIOLET
VIOLET
VIOLET
VIOLET
VIOLET
VIOLET
VIOLET
VIOLET
VIOLET
VIOLET
YELLOW
Prize
P.F. Chang's
Brick Oven
Marriott Hotels (1 night stay)
Supersonic Car Wash
Supersonic Car Wash
IHOP ( 2 complimentary meals)
BYU Bookstore Gift Card ($25)
Performance Tickets (BYU)
BYU Bookstore Gift Card ($25)
$100 Graduate Scholarship
Café Rio
Utah Jazz Game (2 tickets) UB
BYU Bookstore Gift Card ($25)
Skyroom Gift Certificate
Provo Theatre Tickets (2)
Brick Oven
Performance Tickets (BYU)
BYU Bookstore Gift Card ($25)
BYU Bookstore Gift Card ($25)
Skyroom Gift Certificate
Skyroom Gift Certificate
BYU Bookstore Gift Card ($25)
Hale Center Theater Tickets
Los Hermanos
Seven Peaks Water (2)
Utah Jazz Game (2 tickets) UB
BYU Bookstore Gift Card ($25)
Performance Tickets (BYU)
Hale Center Theater Tickets
Café Rio
Performance Tickets (BYU)
Skyroom Gift Certificate
$100 Graduate Scholarship
$100 Graduate Scholarship
Supersonic Car Wash
$100 Graduate Scholarship
Café Rio
PRIZES ARE REDEEMABLE AT THE FRONT OF THE BALLROOM DURING DINNER