Weeks before waves of incoming Warriors arrive on campus for New Student Orientation (NSO), East Stroudsburg University's orientation leaders begin preparing to make the experience a memorable one.

As hosts, guides and mentors during NSO, orientation leaders play an important role in creating a friendly atmosphere and ensuring students and their families feel welcomed and informed during their first true introduction to ESU.

"Because New Student Orientation is such a big event, it's really important that the students representing the University put their best foot forward, and the only way to do that is to help them truly understand what the University is all about," said Clarissa Maldonado, assistant director of New Student Orientation.

To arm orientation leaders with the knowledge to answer any questions that might come up, Maldonado facilitates several weeks of training on the ins and outs of ESU.

During one particular training day in late June, orientation leaders met with a faculty member about a scholarship opportunity they could share with NSO attendees. The group jotted down notes and asked questions to make sure they could relay the details accurately.

Next, they acted out potential challenging scenarios they might encounter during an NSO session and then talked about how to handle them calmly and professionally.

All of it was evidence of the group's growth, Maldonado said.

"This team is so strong, and it's been so nice to see them come out of their shells and embrace this experience," Maldonado said.

In addition to learning about the University and how it works, orientation leaders also practice ice breakers they'll hold at NSO and participate in team building activities. The overall outcome is a student who is not only a stronger orientation leader, but one with valuable life skills they can use going forward, Maldonado said.

"Presenting, being on stage, working with people, conflict resolution, communicating - all these soft skills are things the orientation leaders are gaining as well," she said.

Among those gaining transferrable skills is Mardoche Jules, a sophomore majoring in theatre and political science from Reading, Pa. For Jules, the orientation leader role allowed him to share his favorite things about ESU while also practicing public speaking and leadership - two important aspects of Jules' majors.

"I knew that I loved this school and that I wanted to become a better leader here," Jules said.

Jules is among 33 other orientation leaders from a multitude of majors, class years, and backgrounds, giving first-year students access to a range of experiences and opinions. Fourteen students are serving as orientation leaders for a second time.

Leah LaBar, a senior majoring in education from Bangor, Pa., said she returned for another year to continue discovering aspects of ESU she hadn't known about before.

"There's always new things you didn't know, or things you find out about by talking with other students, so I get to learn about these students and the things they've involved with and potentially be part of that myself," LaBar said.

Maldonado said orientation leaders are made up of all types of students, from those who are already heavily involved in activities to those who've yet to break out of their comfort zone. By the end of their experience, however, they all typically walk away with greater confidence and a stronger sense of belonging.

"Orientation leaders really put themselves out there to get to this position and then go on to take leadership roles on campus, join clubs and executive boards, and it's really because they've learned so much about campus that they now have the confidence to do those things they might not have felt comfortable doing before," Maldonado said.

New Student Orientation begins Tuesday, July 7, and will continue through the month.

Learn more about New Student Orientation or admission to ESU.

Students interested in applying to become an orientation leader can contact Maldonado at (570) 422-3838 or [email protected].