Why Your Zag should be an Orientation Leader-Another Great Opportunity for your Zag to be Involved and Serve the Gonzaga Community during Orientation Weekend
Orientation Weekend is August 24 – 27, 2018. We will be welcoming the Class of 2022 as our newest members of the Zag Family. What makes Orientation Weekend so special is that we have over 300 student leaders that help welcome students and families to campus at New Student Orientation and Parent and Family Orientation. First Year Experience Programs and Parent and Family Relations would not be able to create such a comforting welcome without our students. We encourage you to tell your Zag about the multiple ways they can get involved with Orientation Weekend.
Below are the application dates and reflections from past Orientation Leader student leaders telling their stories of why your Zag should be an Orientation Leader. If your students have any questions, they can email New Student Orientation at firstyearexperience@gonzaga.edu or Parent and Family Orientation at swank@gonzaga.edu.
Application Dates
Applications Open: Monday, March 5
Application Deadline: Wednesday, March 21
Interview Dates
Tuesday, April 3 7pm-10pm College Hall
Wednesday, April 4 7pm-10pm College Hall
Thursday, April 5 7pm-10pm College Hall
Job Offers Extended
Monday, April 9
New Student Orientation Leader Reflections
By: Madison Smith, Super Group and Small Group Leader, Business Administration concentrated in Management Information Systems and Entrepreneurship/Innovation with a minor in French, Eagle, ID, Class of 2018
When I reflect upon my time at Gonzaga these past four years, a few events and experiences immediately pop into my head. One of my favorites is my time as an Orientation Leader. I was a Small Group Leader for two years and a Super Group Leader my senior year. Being the first face that 15 Gonzaga first year students see, is a privilege and an incredible responsibility. Participating in Orientation is one of the most exciting and fulfilling things I have done during my time at Gonzaga. I loved building relationships with the incoming students and helping them navigate their first year at this great place we all call home – Gonzaga University.
One of the reasons I decided to apply to be an Orientation leader, was because I remembered my first year when I arrived on campus alone, with two giant suitcases, my backpack and a huge pillow. I was walking around campus, in a nervous sweat, trying to find my residence hall. I remember this girl in a brightly colored shirt, an Orientation Leader, recognizing that I needed help. She literally walked me to Dillon Hall, while carrying one of my suitcases. I knew the difference I could make if I was an Orientation Leader. I could be that person helping new students, making their first few days on campus as magical as mine were.
Orientation is a great time. Arriving back at school a couple of days early, seeing the lush trees in bloom, and meeting new students always invigorates my spirit, fuels my passions and reminds me of what an incredible place Gonzaga is. Showing new students around my school, imparting some of the knowledge I have after four years here and, most importantly, teaching them how to get basketball tickets, is so rewarding and fulfilling. Overall, being an Orientation Leader gives you a chance to share your love of Gonzaga with others who will love it as much as you will.
By: Salvador Gutiérrez-Barcenas, Small Group Leader, Sociology, San Jose, California, Class of 2019
We often aspire to be leaders and role models in our communities. A figure in which people can depend on and look up to. The First Year Experience Program gave me the opportunity to be a New Student Orientation leader to help transition first year students to not only a university mindset, but what it means to be a Zag. I was paired up with one of my peers so that we could both help each other create a “family-like” group dynamic. You do not need to worry about being underprepared because your Zag will receive support from Orientation Leaders. The best part of the experience is watching your group develop from a group of first year students to a group of Zags that help and care for one another. You almost become a big brother or sister as the Orientation Leader for these students because you truly create a small family that relies on each other to be able to navigate the college experience, but also our personal lives. Overall, this experience provided me with a unique opportunity to guide and empower first year students as well as develop a closer relationship with my peers.
By: Ava Smith, Small Group Leader, English and Promotions Minor, Eagle, ID, Class of 2020
There is nothing that illustrates Zag spirit better than Orientation Weekend. It is a time of the year like no other full of positive, welcoming energy and the high hopes of the fresh start of a new year. Being involved with Orientation Weekend was an excellent start to my second year at GU. After an application and interview process, I was chosen as an Orientation Leader. I would recommend to every Zag who has a passion for the school and strengthening the community to be an Orientation Leader.
One of the reasons I felt so drawn to Orientation Weekend was the idea that I would be a contributor to the first impression that a group of new students develop when they first arrive on campus. I was determined to make sure that I connected with the members of my small group, and made them feel welcome and excited for the coming years at Gonzaga. I felt slightly nervous at first; I wanted to make sure I was a good small group leader. I was not sure how open the students would be to the crazy icebreakers and conversation-starters that my partner and I had planned. I soon learned that there was no point in trying to force a connection with the members of my small group or plan for them to open up about how they were feeling about this whole experience. Students opened up at their own pace, and my job was to be ready for when that happened. I formed great relationships with the new students in my small group, and still consider them friends.
Another great part about being an Orientation Leader was that I form relationships with fellow returning students who were small group leaders and super group leaders. The weeklong training that we went through allowed for me to really bond with other Zags I never would have otherwise gotten to know. I had such a great time getting to know my partner and the people in my super group. The relationships that we developed in the week before Orientation made the weekend even better. It felt like we were a part of an important team and it inspired everyone to do their part to the best of their ability.
The experience that I had as an orientation leader strengthened my Zag experience, and provided me with the chance to make the Class of 2021 feel welcome at GU. I met so many new people that I never would have met, and can confidently say that it was one of my favorite experiences at Gonzaga so far. I would highly recommend being an orientation leader to anyone who wishes to more fully immerse themselves in the community, and wants to make more of an impact on the lives of new Zags to come.
Parent and Family Orientation Student Leader Reflection
By: Grace Lombardi
As an orientation leader, you get to represent the best parts of GU and what this incredible school means to you. As a top University, Gonzaga offers incredible aspects of higher education that few universities can even claim to have. Gonzaga has study abroad programs that take you around the globe, the highest intramural sports participation rate in the nation, some incredible varsity sport teams, unparalleled school spirit and of course, above all, the Zag community. Why not choose to represent this? I choose to be a part of Parent Family Crew, otherwise known as PFC, because I wanted others to feel the same warmth and sense of belonging in our community that I felt the moment I stepped foot on this campus. The fact that I felt so welcomed by my new Zag family has driven me to continuously work for Parent and Family Relations. As a part of PFC, I get to be one of the first members of our community to welcome the new Zag parents and families to GU. I understand the privilege of honoring the mission statement, the importance of a positive first impression and setting the tone of what it means to be a part of the ZagFam. Being an orientation leader means that you get to represent the best aspects of Gonzaga and I am honored to continue to do so. Go Zags!