Honors Program welcomes new students
Point Park University’s Honors Program will hold a “First Look at Honors” program for its new students from Wednesday, Aug. 24 through Friday, Aug. 26, including activities to acquaint them with the university and Pittsburgh and the opportunity to participate in a fundraising event for the Animal Rescue League.
Resident honors students can move into their dorm rooms a day earlier than all other first-year students, and all new honors students will have an opportunity to meet their mentors and other honors students with a special picnic dinner that first evening. On Thursday, students will have a chance to explore Pittsburgh in a nationally recognized City as Text activity, sending them to explore different neighborhoods in Pittsburgh. They will then report back, join in on a special community service event with the Animal Rescue League and mix in the other First-Year Frenzy activities scheduled by Student Affairs.
All new students are assigned upper-class mentors who will help to guide them as they begin taking honors classes and become active in Honors Program and its student group.
This marks the second year that the Honors Program has held a separate orientation for its new students. “The goal is to prepare them for what’s ahead in classes, community service and leadership activities on and off campus,” Helen Fallon, Honors Program director said. “The students have a wonderful opportunity to meet their fellow honors students, freshmen and upperclassmen, and join in with the rest of the scheduled new student activities.”
The following is a complete schedule of activities, meetings, and projects:
Wednesday, Aug. 24
Morning into afternoon: New residence hall students move in from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.
Evening: Welcome picnic dinner for all starting at 6 p.m. on campus in Alumni Park, right outside Academic Hall. Karen McIntyre, senior vice president for academic and student affairs, will greet students and officially welcome them to campus.
Thursday, August 25 Exploring Pittsburgh and more
Morning: Rise and shine with some breakfast items and coffee, of course, and other drinks at from 9-9:30 a.m. fourth floor Lawrence Hall.
9:30-10:45 a.m. – Introduction to the Honors Program and a session with Ed Meena, history professor and honors program faculty member, on the History of Pittsburgh
11 a.m. – Students leave for City as Text explorations
Afternoon: 3-5 p.m. – City as Text reflections, fourth floor, Lawrence Hall
Friday, Aug. 26 Community Service Day
Morning and afternoon:
9-10:30 a.m. – Community service and its importance to the Honors Program.
11 a.m.-1 p.m. – “Pet a Pooch, Cuddle a Cat, Pay a Dollar” fundraiser for the Animal Rescue League in Alumni Park and Market Square. Some students will travel to the Animal Rescue League shelter and its wildlife center to assist staff there. The students are working with an alumna, Cathy Dowden Oskin, who graduated with a journalism and mass communication degree from Point Park in 1991.
3 p.m. – Convocation, Sheraton Station Square