More than 1,000 attend Pitt CARES
Thursday, July 11, 2013 2:00 AM
News
Pittsburg, KS
Lots of new Gorillas are getting ready to start school at PSU. This summer, 1,015 new, first-year students took part in Pittsburg State University’s Pitt CARES (Campus Advisement, Registration, and Enrollment Sessions) program.
“That’s the most since we’ve been doing it (CARES),” said Melinda Roelfs, director of the Office of Admission.
About 20 students participated in a special CARES session for transfer students on Wednesday, July 10. A final session, for all students who have not participated in a previous CARES event, is scheduled for Aug. 16. Classes begin on Monday, Aug. 19.
Pitt CARES is an orientation session for incoming freshmen that aids in their transition from high school to university life. Students who attend CARES participate in a variety of informational sessions covering PSU topics ranging from campus activities and career services to housing and financial aid.
Jon Bartlow, associate director in the Office of Admission, coordinates Pitt CARES. He said the program is one of the most important experiences for new PSU students.
“Transition from high school or another college or university can be tough,” Bartlow said. “Our goal with CARES is to help alleviate some of that stress by providing students with a wealth of information that will hopefully make them feel more comfortable and at home at Pittsburg State.”
Bartlow said the program also gives the students’ families a chance to tour and view the campus that their children will call home for the next few years.
“It’s a true thrill for me to greet new students and their families at the start of their PSU careers,” Bartlow said. “We want the students and their families to know that we’re always here for them and will do whatever we can to meet their needs.”
Michaela Wagner, a freshman who went through an early June CARES session, said the program was “very beneficial.”
“Even though I went to high school in Pittsburg, I still didn’t know a whole lot about how things work at PSU,” she said. “So, I was nervous coming into this. Having had that full day of CARES, where I met new friends and learned a lot, I feel much more calm and very excited to be at Pitt State.”