Transitions program added to Orientation

Thirty-six members of the Class of 2014 arrived at Vassar's campus on Aug. 21 to participate in Transitions, Vassar's pilot pre-orientation program for students from low-income families or who are first-generation college students.

The program was intended to provide the incoming freshmen with a support system and inform them of the resources available at the College. Fittingly, the Class of 2014 is the most socio-economically diverse in Vassar's history, with 62.6 percent receiving Vassar scholarship funds and 80 members who are first-generation college students.

Four students envisioned a pre-matriculation program that would address the issues facing these students and engaged in an Independent Study to plan one in the Spring of 2009. Dean of Freshmen Benjamin Lotto wrote in an e-mailed statement, "These students, after a great deal of research, concluded that a pre-matriculation program for non-traditional students was needed at Vassar, because in entering college, the transition period for these particular students is critical and it is the institution's responsibility to address the issues of all students attending Vassar."

"I would like nothing better than to offer a program like Transitions to all incoming students who wish to take advantage of it. However, the cost of such a program in the current economic climate is prohibitive", wrote Lotto.

The proposal was brought before the Committee on Inclusion and Excellence, which approved a pilot pre-orientation program to assess the merits of a Transitions program. President Catherine Bond Hill signed off on the pre-orientation program in the Spring of 2010.

The freshmen participating in the program were split into groups of five and assigned to one of seven Transitions Interns, returning students from the Transitions group who serve as mentors. The Transitions Intern, along with a designated professor and administrator, form a "Transitions Trio," a support network that new students can rely on for advice on college life, academics or Vassar's resources. "It's based on networking," said Transitions Intern Moises Rivera '13. "That way they can feel more comfortable when they come in as freshman and be more able to tap into resources." The freshmen in the program met with faculty and administrators, and were encouraged to use resources available at Vassar that they might otherwise not be aware of or be hesitant to take advantage of, particularly in Financial Aid.

"When I first got here, I was scared to go to the Financial Aid Office," said Angelica Gutierrez '13, another Transitions Intern. One goal of the program was to confront such fears so that students could use all options available to them by meeting with Director of Financial Aid Michael Fraher. "There's a lot of little things available that they might not know about until maybe junior year" said Rivera.

Students in the program continue to rely on each other now that the school year has started. Said Rivera,

"My goal was for the incoming freshmen to know that there are other people that are going through the same situation, they're not alone," he continued. Richardson is confident that the program has helped new students prepare to "go through four years here and succeed at Vassar."

The next step for the Transitions program is a reunion in November to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the pre-orientation program and establish ongoing support through each year at Vassar. Lotto wrote that he plans "to assess the program systematically. This feedback will tell us whether a case should be made for continuing the program next year and what changes, if any, should be made."