Oregon State University
EN-2: Student Orientation

New student orientation at OSU includes three programs that include sustainability-related content. START is a summer two day event preparing new students and their parents for the upcoming year. CONNECT is held the week preceding fall term. U-Engage which is a first quarter class for freshman that meets weekly. During START sessions all food is composted and served using compostable serving ware, and is marketed to new students as a zero waste event. Sustainability groups and resources are prominently displayed for students to learn how to get involved. Sustainability group display tables are staffed to welcome new students. CONNECT starts with campus move-in where volunteers are on hand to show new residents how to recycle and where additional campus resources exist. It is a crash course for students to learn how recycling, composting, and waste reduction works at OSU. The annual Sustainability Fair is a key event during CONNECT, as is the zero waste New Student Picnic where thousands of students gather and more information is available at staffed sustainability tables and booths. CONNECT also features a Day of Caring where students participate in community service opportunities on campus and throughout the city of Corvallis. U-Engage focuses on how new students can get involved on campus and how when they leave OSU they can be more productive members of the community. Trips to the Student Sustainability Center are included in U-Engage as is education about how student government works and how students can advocate for themselves and others. Additionally, now that OSU has a first year live on requirement, more students are actively engaged in orientation programming.