New Student Convocation

September 19, 2012 at 4:32 pm (Uncategorized)

Lauren Sawyer is a senior in the basic BSN program at Oakland University. She is a member of Dean’s Circle, Sigma Theta Tau, Golden Key International Honor Society, and the Student Nurses’ Association of Oakland University (SNAOU). She is the current president of SNAOU. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends. In the future Lauren plans to become a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner.

 

Fall semester has begun! Before classes officially began for the semester, Oakland University hosted the annual New Student Convocation. This year the New Student Convocation included part two of the New Student Orientation where incoming freshman students had the opportunity to tour their academic areas of interest.

Luckily the rainy day cleared up and the incoming freshman students were able to tour around campus to see what Oakland University has to offer.

Within the School of Nursing, students were given a welcome by Dr. Moore and Dean Schuiling. Following the welcome, students were guided, in groups, by School of Nursing faculty and students to areas of interest within the School of Nursing.  The tour stops included the Human Patient Simulation Lab, Nursing Therapeutics and Health Assessment Lab, and a classroom filled with research posters, academic advisers, graduate program representatives and student nursing organizations.

Throughout the tour, many students were impressed by the ambiance of the new Human Health Building that is now the home to Oakland University’s School of Nursing and School of Health Sciences.

Within the Human Patient Simulation Lab, the incoming students were excited to experience the Sim-Man and auscultate his breath sounds. Hands-on demonstrations were provided in the Nursing Therapeutics and Health Assessment Lab. Both lab stops in the tour did a wonderful job providing interested students with a better idea of what the nursing lab curriculum entails within the program.

Within the classroom, students were able to stop at organizations of interest. The organizations represented were Dean’s Circle, Sigma Theta Tau, the Student Nurses’ Association of Oakland University (SNAOU), and the National Black Nurses’ Association (NBNA). All of these organizations provided information about membership and the benefits of becoming involved within the School of Nursing organizations. Academic advisers were present to answer the questions many incoming students had about prerequisite classes and when or how to apply for the undergraduate program. Research posters from both faculty and students were presented to the incoming freshman students.

Although the research may have been complex for incoming freshman, the poster presentations were a great way to show incoming students the focus on research within the School of Nursing in both undergraduate and graduate programs. Graduate programs, including the Nurse Practitioner and Nurse Anesthesia programs, provided information for those students interested in attending graduate school after they complete their undergraduate nursing degree.

At the conclusion of the School of Nursing tour, the incoming students attended the formal ceremony of the New Student Convocation in the O’Rena. Overall, part two of New Student Orientation provided incoming freshman students with a wonderful opportunity to learn more about all the wonderful things the School of Nursing has to offer to its students at Oakland University.