By: Morgan Marum, Public Relations GUide for Orientation 2015

Dear New Zags,

Yes, you are new Zags too! That may seem like a strange thought, but I say it knowing that this university is unlike any other, and it’s one that is so excited that you have joined the Gonzaga family. Gonzaga is not just a place for students to attend college; it is a home away from home for parents, families, and loved ones. I will do my best to inform you in this brief letter that your student will be GUided through their time with the utmost intentional care.

I’m sure it’s overwhelmingly comforting to have a 21-year-old, a computer screen away, telling you that it’s going to be okay, but I promise it is! I, too, was in your shoes with my own family three years ago, wondering if I had made the right decision in where to attend college. I was anxious in the months leading up to Orientation, and my mind was preoccupied with many thoughts, questions, and concerns prior to my arrival on campus. Three years later, I find myself writing this letter to you, a proud Zag, humbled by the opportunity to welcome you as I was once welcomed. If telling you that I am spending my entire summer before my senior year planning this weekend isn’t enough to convince you, then I hope this letter and my continued communication with your student throughout the summer will do just that. Gonzaga is more than a college experience. Gonzaga is my second home.

On behalf the entire First Year Experience Program and GUide Core, I would like to personally welcome YOU to Gonzaga University. Sending a student off to college is an overwhelming and distinctly transitional period of time, and I am here to tell you that you are not alone in this process. This year in particular, we are going through some exciting changes of our own… the opening of our new Hemmingson University Center! As we welcome the class of 2019, we are in the process of developing programs specifically tailored to the needs of this class, and will continue to engage with our new Zags before Orientation begins.

GUide Core is a team of five dedicated senior student leaders who are passionate about welcoming your student to our Zag family. We are all here on campus throughout the summer intentionally planning your student’s first experience. Our theme for Orientation is “Ignite Your Spirit,” and we hope to do just that in the hearts of each new Zag. We chose this theme is to mirror our Jesuit identity and emphasize that “ignite” is a call to action to manifest Gonzaga’s traditions and values. To ignite is to give life or energy to something, which is exactly what Orientation strives to bring to our new students. We have found that it is extremely important to empower new students academically, socially, and spiritually. GUide Core is proud to represent Gonzaga University, and to give your families a glimpse of how your student will become knit into the fabric of our community.

Orientation weekend itself is a time that is very near and dear to our hearts, and we are thrilled to be the ones responsible for it this year. We recognize that with this excitement, anxieties may arise as well… Did my student make the right choice? Is Gonzaga right for my student? Is Spokane the right place? Will he/she be okay on his/her own? Orientation weekend, and the communication in the months leading up to it, is designed to ease some of those worries. Our team is here to GUide your student through this transition into the next phase of life. I can tell you from experience that, although I was feeling a mixture of emotions during my own Orientation weekend, everyone at GU made me feel not only welcomed, but an integral part of the Gonzaga community from day one. During Orientation, you will have the opportunity to meet our vibrant community, which I am sure will welcome you over and over.

As the Public Relations GUide, I will be managing all of the social media accounts as well as the IGNITE Blog throughout the summer. Please have your student check their Zagmail often and follow us for updates!

Website: www.gonzaga.edu/orientation
Facebook.com/gonzagaorientation
Twitter: @gonzagaorientation
Instagram: @gonzagaorientation
IGNITE Blog: http://blogs.gonzaga.edu/orientation/ (new articles posted each Thursday)

I sincerely look forward to meeting you and your families soon. If you are accompanying your student to campus for New Student Orientation, please remember to register for Parent & Family Orientation at www.gonzaga.edu/parents.

Meet the 2015 Orientation GUide Core!

By: Grace, Morgan, Micayla, Yachana, and Julia

Hello parents and families! My name is Grace Savinovich, and I am so glad you’re joining our ZagFam! I come from Sacramento, California and am a senior here at Gonzaga, double majoring in English Literature and Philosophy with a certificate in Leadership. Over the years, I have been involved in the Comprehensive Leadership Program, a Story Slam coordinator, a student employee in the Alumni Office, a Lector at Mass, an Eye-to-Eye mentor, an Orientation Leader, and now GUide Core Coordinator. Looking back, the most memorable part of my first Orientation, beyond it being the beginning of Gonzaga’s 125th year, is meeting one of my future (now current) roommates/best friends after seeing her mad moves on the dance floor!

My name is Morgan Marum and I am senior from Phoenix, Arizona. I am the Public Relations GUide, so fittingly I am a Public Relations major and a Spanish and Catholic Studies double minor with a certificate in Leadership. When I first entered Gonzaga I jumped right in and became involved in the Comprehensive Leadership Program, Story Slam, University Ministry, Justice in January, Kennel Club, and Ambassadors. I am also a proud member of the University’s hip-hop dance team, Bomb Squad. Perhaps my most memorable Orientation experience is performing with my team for the incoming class last year and feeling the overwhelming energy at Welcome Night. It is moments like that which remind my heart why Gonzaga is my second home.

Hi all! My name is Micayla Strickland and I am this year’s Program GUide I. This means that I will be planning the events for Friday and Saturday of New Student Orientation. I was born and raised in Moses Lake, WA and am currently pursuing an Accounting degree with a concentration in Management Information Systems. I have been involved with activities and clubs such as: ZESST, Block Council, Beta Alpha Psi, and University Ministry. Looking back on my experiences within orientation, I’m thankful that I’ve been able to experience it not only as a new student but also as a leader. It’s always so fun to see the build-up of excitement that comes with training and the arrival of new students.

My name is Yachana Bhakta, and I am currently a senior studying Biology with a certificate in Leadership. I am the Program GUide II, meaning I will be planning the events for Sunday and Monday of Orientation. I am from Reedsport, Oregon. I am a teaching assistant for introductory biology laboratory courses, a member of Multicultural Honor Society, and a participant of the Comprehensive Leadership Program. My most memorable Orientation experience was Academic Convocation during my New Student Orientation.

Hi Zag Families!  My name is Julia Snider and I am the Student Leader GUide. I am originally from Sonoma, CA, but I lived in Dover, ID since I was 10. I am a senior at Gonzaga getting a Bachelor of Science in Biology. Other than GUide Core, I am involved in University Ministry, the Experiential Leadership Institute, Intramurals, the Kennel Club, and being a Teacher’s Assistant (TA). My most memorable Orientation experience was when I was an Orientation Leader and I created relationships with my small group members that lasted through the academic year. I love catching up with them when I run into them around campus!