Incoming students beginning their collegiate experience or transferring to Ferris State University have their final opportunities to complete orientation activities and learn about the campus in new-student sessions that continued in the David L. Eisler Center on Monday, July 17.

T.J. Johnson, a native of Kalamazoo studying Music and Entertainment Business, has worked as a student leader throughout the orientation schedule. Johnson considered his interactions with new Bulldogs attending to arrange their accommodations with Housing and Residence Life and meet representatives of university departments and other organizations.

“It has been amazing to interact with these students, feel their excitement about what is ahead for them and exchange that kind of energy,” Johnson said as the team wraps up its final full week of summer orientation. “It is a great opportunity to meet people from different walks of life and help them to be calm, engaged and able to get together with others regardless of their differences.”

Johnson has been on the job as an orientation leader since Ferris’ first sessions in early June and said common questions and areas of interest arise from each visiting group.

“They want to hear about what to expect in residence hall life, the collegiate culture at Ferris, and what to expect in terms of activities,” Johnson said. “I had a great time telling them about our beautiful campus and my experiences in my first year. We were able to help these new Bulldogs get excited about what is ahead of them.”

Orientation wraps up on Thursday, July 20. Assistant Director of Orientation Emily Hicks, with the university’s Office of Admissions, said it has been a great and successful summer orientation run, thanks to Johnson and his peers and Ferris’ newest students coming together.

“We were able to surpass our target in terms of the number of registrants participating in orientation,” Hicks said. “There is a final late orientation session on Thursday, Aug. 24, and for those who have been in communication with our office, more outreach and information about that session will be coming their way in the next week.”

Ferris’ Fall 2023 semester begins on Monday, Aug. 28.