Aloha ALPHA set for Aug. 18-21

Friday, August 12, 2005

Approximately 1,600 new students, along with 400 student or faculty/staff volunteers, will take part in Oklahoma State University’s Aloha ALPHA 2005, a four-day orientation Aug. 18-21.

ALPHA's purpose is to provide opportunities for freshmen to meet faculty, staff and other students, and to learn about what is expected of them as OSU students, said Jill Rucker, ALPHA coordinator in the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs.

“Aloha ALPHA 2005 is a great way for new students to come and get connected with current students, faculty and staff before the academic year begins,” Rucker said.

This year’s theme was selected to emphasize OSU’s welcoming atmosphere, she said.

“Our program committee has worked hard to develop a slate of workshops and events that will not only appeal to students, but will prepare them for being an active member of the OSU family,” she said.

Residence halls will open at 8 a.m., Aug. 18, to receive students moving into the facilities. ALPHA check-in will be in the Student Union Atrium on Thursday and Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., where students can pick up their ALPHA packets, schedules, and a lei that is required for admission to ALPHA events.

A New Student Resources Fair will held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday and Friday, and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday in the Student Union Atrium. New students can find all of the services and information they need in a “one-stop shopping” atmosphere, including picking up copies of their class schedule, purchasing parking permits, signing up for the All Sports Ticket, obtaining long distance phone service, buying special events’ tickets, and much more.

Transfer student orientation is set for 2-4 p.m. in the Student Union Theater.

Living group meetings will be from 5:30-6 p.m. on Thursday to allow students to meet their ALPHA leaders/facilitators, Student Academic Mentors, faculty associates and other students in their living area. Groups will meet on residence hall floors, and off-campus students will meet in the Student Union Atrium.

The traditional opening ceremony and dinner at Gallagher-Iba Arena is set for 6 p.m. Thursday, and students will receive their free T-shirts, learn about OSU traditions, and meet faculty, staff, students and alumni. The student lei is required for dinner admission, and parents will be admitted free.

Immediately following the dinner, Mark Sterner will speak to college students and alcohol abuse. Sterner has received the “Campus Speaker of the Year Award” for the past three years

From 9 p.m. until midnight, the old OSU tradition of the Howdy Dance has been revived and is set for the Starlight Terrace in the Student Union.

Non-Traditional Student Orientation is set for 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday in Student Union Case Study 2.

A big brunch will be served in the Student Union Food Court and on the West Porch from 9-10:15 a.m. Friday. From 9:30-10:30 a.m., “Getting the Most Out of Your College Experience” will be presented by the Monster.com Road Crew in the Student Union Theater.

All students are invited to attend “Appreciating Differences,” presented by the Multicultural Student Center, from 12:30-2:30 p.m. in 301 Student Union.

Library tours are set for Friday from 2-4:45 p.m. Students should stop by the Edmon Low Library front desk to begin the tour.

Student Academic Mentors, or SAMs, will meet their groups on the library lawn at 2:15 p.m. to take them to their colleges for welcome sessions from 2:30-4 p.m. Students enrolled through University Academic Services or who are undecided about a major or college may attend the college session of their choice.

A scavenger hunt in downtown Stillwater is scheduled for 3:45-6 p.m. on Friday. Teams of up to 10 students will depart from the Student Union portico on one of the OSU buses to search for correct answers on places to shop downtown. Prizes will be awarded to the team that returns first with all the correct answers.

A Las Vegas-style Student Union night will be open to students from 6:30 p.m. to midnight, with dinner, casino games two hypnotist shows and karaoke.

Saturday events will begin with lunch served in the Student Union Court and West Porch from noon to 1:15 p.m.

From 1:30-3:30 p.m., student can learn about life beyond the books at an interactive event in the student Union Ballroom, and go to the Career Resource Center in 308 Student Union to explore possible careers, receive career counseling, learn how to improve study skills, and lots more.

It will be winter in August with winterfest tubing from 2-7 p.m. in the lot across from the Colvin Center. A ski slope, complete with snow, will be set up for free tubing to kick off pre-Colvin Center festivities that will start with a pizza dinner from 6-7 p.m. The Colvin Center Gala will kick off at 6:30 p.m. with virtually any recreational activity imaginable.

“The Longest Yard,” starring Adam Sandler, will be shown on the library lawn at 9:30 p.m. Popcorn will be provided by the Stillwater National Bank and soft drinks will be provided by OSU Vending and Residential Life.

Many OSU offices will be open on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. will be Residential Life, Computing and Information Services, Telephone Services, ID Services, Admissions, Bursar, Undergraduate Admissions, International Students, Scholarships and Financial Aid, Sectioning, and Registrar.

Academic advisers will be available to meet with students in each of the colleges on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Student Union Bookstore will be open Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on Sunday from noon to 6 p.m.

Lunch on Sunday will be in the Student Union Food Court from 1-2 p.m., and classroom tours will begin in the Student Union Atrium from 1-3 p.m.

At 6 p.m., students can board OSU buses for the ride to the President’s Luau on the lawn of the president’s home, where they will be joined for dinner by OSU President David Schmidly and his wife, Janet, OSU vice presidents and college deans, and other OSU leaders.