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Stephanie Williams
Issue date: 5/6/05 Section: Campus News
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College can be a scary thing, especially when you're a freshman.
It's a new place with not so familiar faces, in a new part of your life.
This year, PREP plans to wipe out the freshman fear and bring an excitement to the atmosphere.
PREP will begin its summer orientation program starting in June for incoming freshman. The mission of PREP is to introduce the academic, social and cultural aspects of ULM, and to promote a sense of dedication and pride among incoming students.
PREP's theme for this summer is "ULM: It's Worth It."
"The goal this summer is to show the incoming students that our university, ULM, is worth it," said Ashley Ellis, head of the PREP Program. "We want to show them all the great things we have to offer here."
The program is a two-day event, filled with music, food, fun and helpful information for the students.
On day one, PREP will begin with a formal "Welcome" for all incoming students where faculty and administration will greet and talk with them. Following the greeting, students are invited to a lunch picnic at the Alumni Center overlooking the bayou.
A bus tour will be given to the students after lunch to show them around the campus in which they will inform the students of the different buildings and which majors are held inside.
The first night concludes with food, fun and music by the band L.C. Smooth.
PREP finishes on the second day, after the students have been advised and schedule their classes for the fall.
"On the second day the students will get to register for their classes and meet their advisors," Ellis said. "We also want them to learn about the history and tradition behind our university as well."
Students aren't the only ones that get to have all the fun, PREP is encouraging the parents to get involved with POP, Parent Orientation Program, to allow them to meet officials and become informed about the university as well.
The POP program sessions will be held on the same days and at the same times as PREP.
This summer, PREP is looking to embrace the incoming freshman and allow them to experience what ULM has to offer.
"I'm really excited about this summer and going to PREP," said Mark Williams, an incoming freshman from New Orleans, La. "It sounds like it's going to be a great time, and I can't wait to tour the campus and schedule my classes."
PREP sessions this summer will be held June 2-3, 8-9, 15-16, and 29-30. The final, and only session held in July, will be July 6-7.
Cost for all PREP sessions is $60 per student to cover the expenses for materials that will be received during the orientation program.
"I'm really excited about what we are doing this year," Ellis said. "We want to enlist both tradition and history, and hopefully we can have this freshman class create a new tradition for our university."