Kiyomi Kishaba
Opinion Editor
A crucial part of the Lute experience begins before we step into class and anxiously scan our first indecipherable syllabus. Time and again, we have heard praise of New Student Orientation and its welcoming atmosphere for first years, giving them time to familiarize themselves with the campus and with each other. But what does it do for the students who lead these pliable first years?
Current senior Gina Snyder has participated in NSO all four years of her PLU career, once as a first year and three times returning as a guide.
“I genuinely am interested in setting people up for a positive PLU experience,” she said. “My NSO experience was very formative and I wanted to give that experience to new first years.”
Snyder’s first year, the orientation included the spoken word event called Sounds of Solidarity for the first time. She was moved by the performances and felt impacted by the tone set by the university.
As an orientation guide the following years, Snyder cherished attending this event with her NSO group and seeing her first years react and start conversations stemming from the performances.
“Obviously these values [diversity, justice, and sustainability] are important to the school if they are being presented to the first years in the first week of school,” Snyder said.
Until this year, NSO guides were purely volunteer-based, offering about a week of their summer to train and prepare to lead the first years through orientation.
Snyder expressed her worry students would apply with more passion for making money than welcoming new Lutes, however this year NSO’s guide maintained the same level of enthusiasm for creating a fun and safe environment on campus.
“As much as NSO is for the new students, as an orientation guide it feels so good to see people who you had a hand in getting settled here flourish,” Snyder said.
Despite the difficult hours and long training leading up to NSO, Snyder valued the opportunity to welcome new Lutes as well as feel more connected to campus. It can be a challenge to feel completely in tune with the community when living off-campus, and seeing her NSO first years while walking to class makes Snyder feel even more at home.
