A terrific transition

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Milligan helps freshmen and their parents adjust to college life

MILLIGAN COLLEGE, TN (Aug. 25, 2011) — Milligan College is not that far from Lydia Lockner’s home in Gray, Tenn.

However, for the freshmen like Lockner who are moving into the dorms and beginning their first college classes this week, the new life and experiences that await them at college might as well be a different world.

“As I was preparing to come to Milligan, the emotion I have felt the most is definitely excitement,” said Lockner, a 2011 graduate of Daniel Boone High School. “But as the time grew closer to move in, I became a little more nervous about meeting new people, starting classes and just adapting to a whole new world.”

Lockner is not alone. Like the parents of thousands of other college freshmen across the country, Lockner’s parents are going through their own set of questions and experiences.

Top 10 tips for a terrific transition Milligan College helps freshmen from many states, backgrounds and majors successfully navigate their freshman year of college. In fact, Milligan boasts an above-average undergraduate retention rate, thanks to its programs and personal touches in place to equip freshmen for success.  So what’s the secret to a smooth transition to college? Here are a few tips from Milligan’s faculty and staff who are working on the front lines to prepare students and parents for freshman year: Students Take your study skills up a notch. “Many college freshmen didn’t have to study much outside of class while they were in high school,” said Dr. John Paul Abner, a professor and director of academic advising at Milligan. “In college, they need to learn to build study time into their schedule outside of class.” Abner also encourages his freshmen mentees to carefully read their syllabi and not fall behind on assignments and readings. Talk out the small stuff before it becomes a bigger issue. If you have a conflict with your roommate, talk to him or her before it escalates into an unbearable situation. If you are struggling in a class, talk to the professor, your mentor, or at Milligan, the Office of Student Success. Many colleges, including Milligan, offer free tutoring to help students succeed and stay on track. Get involved. Take advantage of all of the activities offered to new students, said Tracy Brinn, director of enrollment management at Milligan. “The best way to make friends is to attend events on campus and sign up for campus clubs and activities,” Brinn said. “Learn about the organizations that interest you and get involved.” Be flexible as you learn and grow. “As freshmen begin more self exploration and career exploration, they often begin to make appropriate changes to better suit what they are called to do,” Abner said. “More than 50 percent of students change their major.” Take college as seriously as you would a job. Attend class and show up on time. Engage in discussions. Treat your professors and classmates with respect. Begin seeking out internships and job shadowing opportunities as soon as possible. “Remember, your professors have contacts in your field of choice,” Abner said. “They can be excellent references and advisers for you.” Parents Encourage independence in your student. While it might be tempting to email your student’s professor with questions or concerns, it’s important to encourage your students to handle that communication themselves and take responsibility for their own studies and obligations. “Of course, faculty mentors expect that they will have questions from parents, and we welcome those,” Abner said. “But as the year progresses and freshmen begin their studies, professors expect students to be their own advocates.” Introduce yourself to your student’s resident assistant (RA) or resident director (RD). “A huge part of the RA’s responsibility is to build relationships with residents and be a resource to them,” said Kate Anderson, Milligan’s director of residence life and housing. “RAs are also trained in CPR/first aid, conflict management, crisis training and mental and emotional issues. If your student is feeling homesick, encourage him or her to talk to the RA.” Have realistic expectations of your freshman’s work load. Many college freshmen can successfully juggle a job and their studies. But parents should not forget that college students need many more hours devoted to study. Abner suggests that for every hour they spend in class, freshmen should plan to study at least two hours outside of class. Seek out ways to stay connected. If you want to stay on top of what’s happening at your student’s college, request that your email address be added to the mailing list to receive college news releases and announcements. Or seek out organizations that encourage parental involvement and volunteers. “One example is Milligan’s Parent Council, which is an organization that provides additional communication between the college and parents, as well as supporting students and staff through prayer,” Anderson said. Don’t overlook your next chapter. “A lot of parents struggle with empty nest syndrome if it’s their last child leaving for college,” said Abner. “If this is the case, I encourage parents to start to look at activities in their lives that they’ve given up or sacrificed to raise their children and then start putting these activities back into their lives. If you’re dropping that last child off at college, another good idea is to plan a vacation right after the big drop-off day.”

“I am filled with emotion,” said Diann Lockner, Lydia’s mom. “I am so proud of Lydia and the realization of her dream to attend Milligan. While I am reminiscent of the past 18 years and how quickly they have passed, I am enjoying helping her to prepare for this next step.

“My biggest concern is that she might become overwhelmed with all the many changes involved with starting college. I try to remind her that there are many resources available to her and people who care who will be available to answer her questions or just simply talk if the need arises.”

Making the connection

Milligan has many programs in place to answer the questions and ease the anxieties of college freshmen and their parents. The college begins the process of acclimating students to life on Milligan’s campus many months before it’s time to pack their bags and move.

The first opportunity for new students and their parents to visit campus, meet their professors and even select their courses for the fall semester is Connections weekend. This 24-hour orientation for new students is held twice a year—in April or June. Many students meet and/or request their roommates during Connections weekend.

“Connections weekend was the single most important part of this transition for me as a parent,” Diann said. “Seeing my daughter, Lydia, on the Milligan campus interacting with current and future students not only gave me confidence in her choice of college, but it also gave me the peace I need as a mother at this most important time in her life.”

Lydia attended the Connections weekend in April. For her, the most important part of the weekend was the relationships she developed.

“I saw firsthand at the banquet and in our small group times how well the faculty gets to know each and every student as an individual,” Lydia said.

During Connections, Lydia also met her faculty mentor, Dr. John Paul Abner, associate professor of psychology. Abner, who is also Milligan’s director of academic advising, helped Lydia choose classes and answered her questions about the upcoming academic year.

“At Milligan, the freshmen are placed into small groups, usually about 12 to 16 students, and then assigned a faculty mentor,” Abner said. “As a faculty mentor, I usually meet with my mentees at least three times during the first semester. We meet during the first couple of weeks, before the first series of challenging exams of the semester and then again at mid-term.”

A warm welcome

When move-in day finally arrives for Milligan freshmen, they are warmly welcomed to campus through a series of Welcome Week activities. The week consists of orientation and social events to introduce them to their classmates and their new surroundings.

On their first day on campus, new students and their parents attend Matriculation and the dessert reception that follows. The Matriculation ceremony is a time-honored Milligan tradition where new students “sign-in” to the records of the college and formally become a member of the Milligan community.

“We make Welcome Week easy for students; they just have to show up,” said Kate Anderson, Milligan’s director of residence life and housing. “The Campus Activities Board plans a week full of fun events. From riding the lazy river at Wetlands Water Park to listening to live music on campus to riding the zip line at Doe River Gorge, there are so many fun ways to meet other students, and they are all free.”

The emphasis on relationship-building and student success doesn’t end when Welcome Week is over. Throughout the year, students have a variety of resources including academic advising and free tutoring, as well as mentoring from peers, resident assistants, faculty and others on campus.

“The relationships students have with their classmates, the faculty and the staff at Milligan are nurtured and grow stronger throughout their college years,” said Tracy Brinn, Milligan’s director of enrollment management. “We want Milligan to be a comfortable community for our students, a place where they learn about the world and about their place in it.”

Milligan is consistently named one of the Best Baccalaureate Colleges in the South in “America’s Best Colleges” by U.S. News & World Report and one of the nation’s Top 100 Baccalaureate Colleges byWashington Monthly. The college also is recognized as a College of Distinction.

 

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