About Us

The Orientation and Transition Team is responsible for offering programs, services and resources to assist new students in their transition to EMU. Our programs include SOAR (Student Orientation, Advising, and Registration), EMU Connect, and Winter Orientation (for the students who begin in the Winter semester).
We offer student volunteer opportunities including Connect Group Leaders (CGLs). We also offer paid positions within our office including Student Assistants, Orientation Group Leaders (OGLs), O-TEAM, and SWAT team members. 

picture of the Orientation staff at EMU Connect 2022


Our Programs

To ensure our programs are able to accomplish everything students need to know prior to arriving at EMU, our Orientation staff is split into two teams, each with a focus on a different program.

SOAR

Our SOAR team works to plan an engaging and informative program for incoming students and their families. Staff reviews student and family surveys to adjust programs between years, brainstorms ways to keep the information interactive, and create an overall fun experience. This team also train the Orientation Group Leaders (OGLs) to be knowledgeable and engaging in their presentations and interactions with students and guests. The SOAR team is also responsible to keep the [majority of] information in the Online Orientation modules up to date and relevant year to year, determining the most effective time for students to complete each module.

The SOAR team, in particular the SOAR Student Assistants, also assist with EMU Connect. Student Assistants oversee the SWAT team, ensuring all behind the scenes logistics are taken care of. For each Connect program, this team will be responsible for setting up prior to, and then tearing down after, every event.

EMU Connect

Much like the SOAR team, our EMU Connect team works to plan an engaging and informative EMU Connect program, just prior to their first [Fall] semester of classes. The main goal for the EMU Connect team is to create an interactive and fun environment for students to begin forming connections with each other, the campus, and different resources. This team trains the O-Team and Connect Group Leaders to be knowledgeable and engaging in their interactions with students.


Learn more about the Orientation Team

To learn more about the current Orientation office staff, you can visit our About Us page 

If you'd like to know more information about each of the roles available through the Orientation office, visit our Orientation Roles page


last updates 6/8/23