Instead of taking place during orientation week, the timing of the traditional Welcome Week event “There’s More to My Story” was pushed back to this week, the third week of classes. Coordinated by resident advisors and administrative staff, the event will take place within the floors of each residence hall, instead of large venues such as Hendricks Chapel or Goldstein Auditorium, according to the Office of First Year and Transfer Programs.

Although the event was successful and many students enjoyed hearing current Syracuse University students share with incoming freshmen how their life experiences affected their time at SU, the presentation did not allow for any discussion or interaction among students. Changing the structure of “There’s More to My Story” is a positive step for the university in beginning to build a stronger and more open campus community. Small group discussions are a more effective way to facilitate conversation on campus issues among first-year students than a presentation was.

The presentation part of the event is now a short video, followed by a question-and-answer session led by resident advisers. The shift from a large-scale setting to a more personal and intimate discussion on what it means to live in an inclusive college community is a positive change for the first-year student community. With the session still being a mandatory event to attend, first-year students can still have a fulfilling “There’s More to My Story” experience like many Syracuse students have had in the past.

Although the class of 2018 and future classes will not have the moments of being joined together with a large portion of their classmates and will not hear the diverse and touching stories of upperclassmen in person, the smaller setting may help some students to feel more comfortable in the topics that may arise during discussion.

“There’s More to My Story” was one of my most memorable events as a freshman. Upon entering SU, I knew that the university had a diverse population of students. But I never would have guessed that the school would be so open to highlighting the different walks of life students come from to ensure that new students felt welcomed and accepted here as well. However, other freshman students were not as engaged with the program as I was, and there was no encouragement to reflect on the stories we had just heard.

Moving this event to three weeks into the school year will hopefully help more first year students open up during discussion, as some relationships have already been established between residents and RAs, and amongst the entire floor as a community.

Ultimately, the move is a small step in fostering healthier interactions amongst students. SU has a diverse group of students, but a truly inclusive community is achieved through action, setting standards and accountability. Many first-year students at Syracuse University are experiencing living among a different array of cultures, personalities and values for the first time in their lives, and may need guidance in how to live in this new community. The new structure of “There’s More to My Story” encourages even more of a safe space in the SU community.

Nina Rodgers is a junior sociology major. Her column appears weekly. She can be reached at nmrodger@syr.edu.

Published on September 9, 2014 at 12:13 am