HUNTINGDON, PA – A saying most high school seniors and collegiate underclassmen hear like a broken record is how college will be one of the most unforgettable experiences of their lives.
The friendships, the mentors, the life lessons learned and so much more help to make that statement come true. So with all that pressure to have a great college experience, how is someone expected to pick the right college out of the thousands of options?
One of the first impressions a prospective student has of a college is made during a campus tour.
Women’s volleyball setter Kelly Reynolds works at Juniata College as a tour guide over the summer because of the experience she had on her tour when she was a prospective student.
“I definitely wanted the opportunity to give other students the same great experience I had on my tour,” Reynolds said. “I want them to be able to see why I fell in love with this school and all of the wonderful opportunities that can come from being a student here.”
Reynolds said that her role as a student-athlete gives her a unique perspective that allows her to relate with a wide variety of prospective students.
“It’s a great learning opportunity for me as well,” Reynolds said. “It’s a way to meet many people and gives me a chance to be even more involved on campus.”
After prospective students have decided to commit to Juniata, they then get the opportunity to meet with more current students at summer orientations.
Student-athletes are helping out with the future of Juniata at orientations as well. For the summer of 2015, there are five student-athletes on the Orientation Leaders staff. Representing athletics as Orientation Leaders are Conor Dimond, Steven Stroup, Ellie Hainsworth, Taylor Garraffa and J.R. Hemminger.
Like Reynolds, Hemminger said that he got involved after having a good experience at his own orientation.
“I knew that I would enjoy helping out with the program,” Hemminger said. “As a student-athlete, I can relate to the incoming athletes and give them an insight into the life as a D3 athlete.”
As a pole vaulter on the track and field team, Hemminger typically has a packed schedule during the academic year.
“I had to learn to stick to a schedule in order to stay on top of my academics,” Hemminger said. “I struggled with organization and time management before I came here. By sharing my experiences, I can give advice to the incoming students who are facing that same transition.”
Garraffa, a midfielder on the women’s soccer team, also felt that sharing her experiences helps to make the incoming students feel more comfortable and confident about starting their experience at Juniata.
“Plenty of students at JC are athletes and great students and I want the incoming class to realize that they will be able to balance both,” Garraffa said.
Being an orientation leader gives Garraffa and the other students an opportunity to give back to the school by sharing what they love about Juniata with those just about to start on their journey.
“I hope that they take away that college isn’t high school and they have a fresh start here,” Garraffa said. “These next four years of their lives will be some of their best if they buy into all that JC has to offer.”