Calvin University
EN-2: Student Orientation

Wilderness Orientation All incoming students are offered an opportunity to attend a wilderness orientation program for 7-10 days prior to fall classes. During this experience, students learn how to appreciate wilderness and experience wonder at creation, Students receive training on how to minimize their environmental impact while enjoying the wilderness. Students learn how to seek God through nature. Sustainability breakout sessions: All incoming first-time-at-any-college students (93% of incoming students) participate in the 3 day orientation program prior to classes starting. This 3-day program contains a sustainability breakout session. Staff & faculty partner to give a 35 minute talk about sustainability to any students who choose to attend. (about 10% of students choose to attend). The topic of the session is: Reformed perspective on sustainablity: how faith connects to our efforts in creation care. What Calvin is doing around sustainability, opportunities to be involved in sustainability while at Calvin. Streetfest: One day of this 3-day program is spent on a service-learning project in the city. For this day, a vegetarian sack lunch is provided. There is a rigorous process of recycling and composting that happens after students return at the end of the day with their lunch. Students see where every piece of their lunch ends up, and verbal explanations and signage are provided to explain why the meals are vegetarian, and why we are asking them to compost and recycle their waste. Operations: Our orientation program has moved to an online booklet, using the guidebook app instead of paper. We also buy sweatshop shop free T-shirts. (We don't currently tell students that their shirts are sweatshop free)

JB Britton, Campus Involvement and Leadership Next year: Annie Mas-Smith will oversee orientation next year.