A cross-campus collaboration between the Division of Extended Learning, the Office of Student Orientation and Family Engagement and Campus Technology Services has resulted in the successful launch of SUNY Oswego’s new Online Learner and Syracuse Programs Orientation, beginning last month.
This initiative ensures that students outside the main Oswego campus are welcomed, supported and set up for success before they even begin their first class, organizers said.
Designed with accessibility at its core, the orientation platform delivers interactive content tailored to the needs of fully online and Syracuse campus students. Topics range from academic resources and time management to financial aid, student engagement and technological support. Organizers said the course design adheres to best practices in online information delivery and instruction as well as Americans with Disabilities Act compliance, making it a model for inclusive onboarding across SUNY campuses.
Already, the new orientation has achieved an 88 percent completion rate, demonstrating strong student engagement with the material and validating the value of this resource for adult and distance learners alike, Justin Dickerson, director of student orientation and family engagement, noted.
“We’re thrilled with how students have responded,” Dickerson said. “This orientation expands our reach and reinforces that every Oswego student, whether on campus or online, deserves a high-quality, welcoming experience.”
“Working closely with our Online and Syracuse Campus Advisement Team, along with partners in the Office of Student Orientation and Family Engagement, and our Instructional Design team, to develop this orientation has been one of the most meaningful and rewarding collaborations of my career,” said Melissa M. Semione, senior academic planning coordinator for the Division of Extended Learning’s undergraduate online and Syracuse Campus programs.
“From the very beginning, we shared a clear goal: to ensure every online and Syracuse undergraduate student feels welcomed, supported, and connected from the moment they’re admitted," Semione added. "After two successful admission cycles, the overwhelmingly positive feedback we’ve received affirms that we’re making that vision a reality. As one student shared, ‘SUNY Oswego has been so welcoming… you have gone out of your way to show us all the resources we may need, and that you want us to feel like we belong.’ Creating that sense of belonging is exactly what we hoped for, and I’m incredibly grateful to our team and campus partners for the care and collaboration that made it possible.”
To celebrate students' achievement, those who complete the orientation receive a package of Oswego promotional items mailed directly to them. The items serve as a tangible welcome from the campus community and help foster school spirit and belonging, no matter where students are located.
This initiative supports SUNY Oswego’s broader goals of increasing student success, retention and equity in access to critical support services. It also aligns with the institution’s Vision 4040 commitment to serve a broader range of learners through innovative and student-centered practices.
For more information about Online Orientation or to explore SUNY Oswego's undergraduate online and Syracuse campus programs, visit the Online Bachelor's Degree Programs website.
-- Submitted by the Office of Student Orientation and Family Engagement