University of Vermont
EN-2: Student Orientation

The main orientation for First Time First Year and transfer students is over the summer (June - August). Each student attends a two day orientation. There are many engagement efforts in place that set a precedent for what the sustainability culture at UVM is:
- One of the main (and mandatory) sessions, called The 411: Illustrating Life at UVM, includes a sustainability overview and what that will look like at UVM.
- Family members also attend a similar session called Living On Campus to further promote sustainability efforts and conversations to have with their students.
- The Resource Fair, which is the main activity on the second day, includes representation from multiple sustainability partners on campus, including, but not limited to UVM Dining, Center for Health & Wellbeing, Carshare Vermont, Prism Center, Student Financial Services, and Student Life. Vendors receive consistent email communications to minimize paper handouts and other wasteful products to help support our sustainable efforts as an orientation program, and to role model what that looks like for our new students and families.
- All of the meals are Zero Waste and include waste sorting education from student leaders.
-Student Leaders received a two-part training and educational workshop about UVM’s sustainability efforts and how to compost, recycle, and throw items away.
-Orientation has used the UVM Compass App (featured through Guidebook) to reduce the number of printed schedules handed out to new students and families. Communication about the App and its importance to our goals as a sustainable campus has been sent to new students and their family members, in addition to campus partners.
-Student Financial Services has drop-in hours for students and parents in addition to presenting to parents. Financial sustainability is critical to a student's ability to attend UVM and succeed here.
-Breakout sessions include: Staying Well at UVM, Mosaic Center for Students of Color, and Learning Community breakouts, Housing (including our many sustainable programmed housing options)
-Sunset walking tour of campus for early arrivals and ongoing campus tours by bus that highlight sustainability aspects of campus. This reaches all new students and their family members.
-Orientation Leaders conduct small group meetings with their students and review sustainability tips and explanations of sustainability programs on campus (ex: bottled water ban, composting, etc).
-Student Leaders also had the opportunity to connect in-person with UVM Dining Staff to discuss new initiatives and approaches to sustainability goals and efforts.
-Complimentary water bottle for all students who attend orientation.
-Pre-made sustainability bulletin board material is handed out to the orientation leaders make into bulletin boards, so that it is prominently featured in the residence halls where the students stay for summer orientation.
-The Class Picnic that takes place on the Saturday that new students are moving in and is considered part of the Orientation and First Year Experience programming. It includes a BBQ with music, activities, club sign-ups, giveaways, and activities to meet people and to get involved at UVM. Sustainability related representation includes: Eco-Reps, Vermont Students for Environmental Protection Club, Real Food Revolution, Students Towards Animal Rights, Outing Club, Forestry Club, UVM Dining, Bike Users Group, Juntos, Carshare Vermont, City Market, Local Motion, ECHO, and more. This is also a Zero Waste event with volunteers at each waste station.
-Graduate student orientation is mostly handled at the departmental level. Incoming graduate students typically have 1-3 days of orientation with their department where they go over basic information about the university as well as specific information about their program. However, all incoming graduate students are invited to a Resource Fair that is put on by the Graduate Student Senate. At this event different clubs and companies around campus/Burlington get a table and have the opportunity to speak with students about the services they offer. This year many sustainability focused organizations such as Carshare Vermont, UVM’s Center for Health and Wellbeing, Burlington Parks & Rec, Campus Recreation, City Market, Intervale Food Hub, Outdoor Gear Exchange, UVM Dining, VT Works for Women, UVM Women’s Center and Vermont Community Garden Network had their own table to meet with the student body.

Orientation Leader/Student Staff Training Occurs in April & May, with Orientation Programs for first-time first-years and transfer students running throughout the month of June, July, and August