California Lutheran University's Student Newspaper Since 1961

The Echo

California Lutheran University's Student Newspaper Since 1961

The Echo

California Lutheran University's Student Newspaper Since 1961

The Echo

Sampling the flavors of CLU

Anyone who has ever been to an ice cream parlor knows how difficult it can be to make a decision between so many unique and exciting options.

Sometimes the only way to pick is to try a taste of each one. Colleges, like ice cream, come in so many flavors that making a choice can be difficult.

That is why California Lutheran University hosts Admitted Student Day, an annual event intended to offer prospective students a chance to sample the university. Wes Sullivan, the campus experience coordinator, said the main goal of the event is to help accepted students make a final decision about whether CLU is a good fit for them.

This year, the event will be held on April 12 from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.ย  Sullivan said attendees will have opportunities to tour the campus, see inside dorm rooms, meet professors, attend sample lectures, hear presentations from Career Services and explore CLUโ€™s clubs and on-campus organizations.

โ€œI think people come and they just experience CLU,โ€ Sullivan said. โ€œAnd thatโ€™s one of the best things about that day is that we can give probably the most authentic visit that we can all year because it allows them to see everything all at once.โ€

Sullivan also said that past feedback about Admitted Student Day shows that the event helps many students finalize their decision to go to CLU.

Students who decide to commit to CLU have the opportunity to make their initial deposits, take pictures for their student ID cards and fill out housing contracts at the event, Sullivan said.

But giving students a taste of CLU requires a bit more effort than handing them a little sample-sized spoonful of ice cream. According to Sullivan, the greatest challenges stem from the large scope of the event.

โ€œWhen you throw an event for about a thousand people, you really need to kind of take over the campus for a day,โ€ Sullivan said.

In order to do that, Sullivan said he puts in a request for facilities more than a year in advance. But the actual process of putting Admitted Student Day together, which he said is no small task, occurs mainly in the four months leading up to the event.

โ€œItโ€™s almost like planning a wedding,โ€ Sullivan said. โ€œI mean, you have to find catering, you have to plan space on campus, you have to plan event setups, you have to find speakers.โ€

When the day of the event finally arrives, CLUโ€™s presidential hosts make sure everything runs smoothly. Senior Zach McDaniel said he and his fellow hosts work hard to make sure attendees have the best experience possible.

โ€œIn addition to getting up in the wee hours of the morning to help set up, the pres hosts will be covering the entire campus the whole day, welcoming and guiding admitted students and their families from event to event and answering countless questions about CLU,โ€ McDaniel said.

Before they begin their busy day, McDaniel said the group has a tradition of taking a 3:30 a.m. trip to Dennyโ€™s.

โ€œItโ€™s a great bonding experience and it helps get us pumped for the dayโ€™s events,โ€ McDaniel said.

However, going to Dennyโ€™s is not the only part of Admitted Student Day the presidential hosts enjoy. Senior Eric Klein said he likes meeting the attendees and helping them with their college decision.

โ€œBeing a part of Admitted Student Day is a wonderful experience for me personally,โ€ Klein said. โ€œI have a huge love for this school and it is so fun and exciting to see potential Cal Lutheran students walking through our campus and learning everything there is to know about CLU.โ€

Other students who want to get involved have the chance to participate as volunteers, Sullivan said. Students were required to RSVP to attend an informational meeting where additional information was provided to prospective volunteers.

Although volunteers have already been finalized for this yearโ€™s event, there will be plenty of Admitted Student Days to help with in the future.

 

Nerissa Cauthen
Staff Writer
Published April 9, 2014

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