For students who started their time at the University of Miami during the past two academic years, the Department of Orientation and Commuter Student Involvement knew that their transition to campus life would bring unique challenges.
The Remote to On-Campus Transition Program aimed to support these students by helping them to feel a sense of community despite being away from the physical campus. Student leaders who worked in the OCSI office served as Remote Assistants and offered virtual programming, weekly e-mails, and a group chat to stay connected. In doing so, the new program created social opportunities for students that also included a special orientation program that continued to help these students navigate campus and cultivate relationships.
"We recognized a need to connect students who shared this unique experience during their Fall 2020 and Spring 2021 semesters. Since very few campuses across the nation had a program like this, our offering was a unique innovation for our student community,” said Michael Baumhardt, director of OCSI.
For its impact on students, this program was named a Program of Distinction at the state-level annual conference of NASPA: Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education. The program also received the Innovative Transition Program Award at the Association for Orientation, Transition, and Retention in Higher Education’s (NODA) annual conference.
In addition to supporting students who began their time remotely, OCSI is recognized for another initiative that works to help commuter students find pathways to success even before they step foot on campus.
Great Start, a pre-orientation program for new commuter and off-campus transfer students, is traditionally an in-person experience that invites these incoming students to campus for a weekend full of events, activities, and informative sessions.
“The program is very special for everyone involved. For most students, it is their first impression of the University and sets the tone for their time here. Students really take an innovative role to provide this experience,” said Cecilia Amara, also a 2021 Great Start student program coordinator.
In light of the pandemic, the student-led Great Start steering committee pivoted the program to include a mix of in-person and virtual offerings over four weekends to ensure that as many students could attend as possible. Although the format was changed, the committee and staff advisors remained committed to ensuring this decades-old event continued to provide opportunities for students to meet each other, understand commuter life, and find community in students with similar college journeys.
“The biggest part of navigating student transition was our staff. The atmosphere is great working with student leaders and staff who want to create a sense of community for students. You can see that through the initiatives they take,” said Mikeiveka Sanon, a 2021 Great Start student program coordinator.
For its innovative hybrid format and contoured emphasis on student success, NASPA Florida named Great Start a Program of Distinction within the off-campus, commuter, non-traditional, graduate, professional, and related programming category.
Critical to the success of both the Remote to On-Campus Transition Program and Great Start is Stephanie Fleitas, the department’s assistant director.
Challenged with adapting Great Start events in response to the pandemic and finding creative ways to support students in untraditional ways, Stephanie worked to reimagine the office’s programming to continue the critical student support the office provides. Training student staff and establishing health protocols for in-person meetings, her work allowed students to continue to engage in high-impact programming despite unprecedented circumstances. For these efforts and more, Fleitas was named the Outstanding New Professional at the NODA National Conference.
Beyond awards and recognition for herself and the programs she helps to coordinate, Fleitas says that staying true to the mission of OCSI and supporting students throughout their transition to the University of Miami is what keeps her motivated.
“At our core, the office is focused on student support and fostering connections between students and the University,” said Stephanie Fleitas.
