Fast Facts

Mission

New Student Programs addresses the holistic needs of each new NC State student to create a foundation of success.

History

The Office of New Student Programs was formed in 2014 after moving to the Division of Academic and Student Affairs. Previously the Office of New Student Orientation, this unit has coordinated NC State’s New Student Orientation programs for over two decades. With the formation of New Student Programs, this unit has responsibility for the coordination of multiple university-wide programs, including: New Student and Family Orientation, Summer Start, Welcome Weeks, the University Common Experience, and on-going transition programming. New Student Programs focuses on assisting students throughout their transition to the university with an emphasis on the academic success and connection of students to campus during their first year at NC State.

People

Activities

  • New Student and Family Orientation Programs:Transitional success programs for incoming first-year and transfer students and their families aimed at creating a sense of community with NC State, building peer support networks, introducing academic and co-curricular resources, and assisting participants in understanding the expectations of the NC State community.
  • Summer Start: Summer Start is a unique opportunity for first year and transfer students (including international students) to jump start their NC State experience. Through this residential opportunity, occurring during NC State’s summer session II, students enroll in classes towards their degree, get to know campus and faculty, and meet other incoming and upper-level students.
  • Welcome Weeks: Wolfpack Welcome Week and Winter Welcome Week are university-wide series of programs at the beginning of the fall and spring semesters to welcome incoming and returning students back to campus. These events strive to connect students to campus, promote the skills and resources to thrive in the classroom, and help student understand university expectations. Events range in focus from health and wellness and social connection to academic engagement and arts and culture.
  • Common Experience: CliftonStrengths for Students: The Common Experience: CliftonStrengths for Students is a shared experience for all incoming first-year students, supported by the university community, that aims to increase student connection to peers and the institution.
  • First-Year and Transfer Ongoing Transition Programs: After Welcome Weeks, NSP continues to support new students through various programs throughout the fall and spring semesters. Events range from a New Student Fall Alternative Service Break Trip to the 1887 Fellows cohort program, and attempt to cover various facets of a student’s experience and the university resources available to assist in their success. Programs like Transfer Think and Do address the specific needs of incoming transfer students.
  • Student Leadership Development: New Student Programs offers undergraduate and graduate students multiple leadership opportunities through it’s programs that seek to develop a student’s leadership skills in interactions with students, families, New Student Programs staff, and campus partners while utilizing their knowledge of campus to address the transitional needs of new students and families.

Participation

  • 4,765 first-year students and 5,715 first-year family members participated in New Student and Family Orientation programs in summer 2020.
  • 1,350 transfer students and 566 transfer family members participated in Transfer Orientation programs in summer 2020.
  • In summer 2020, 227 new students participated in the Summer Start program, including 51 student-athletes, completing approximately 1,200 credit hours with an average GPA of 3.75.
  • Over the past 5 years, Wolfpack Welcome Week has hosted approximately 150 annually in the fall semester with Winter Welcome Week hosting approximately 65 events annually in the spring semester.
  • On average, approximately 3,800 students have attended New Student Convocation annually over the past 5 years.
  • Approximately 3,500 students, faculty and staff have completed CliftonStrengths for Students as part of the Common Experience in 2020.

Facilities

New Student Programs is located in Broughton Hall.

Director

Michael Coombes; mrcoombe@ncsu.edu; 919.513.0187