Pre-Orientation for Incoming International Students

In an effort to increase international student success and reach out earlier to our incoming international student population, the Office of Global Affairs (OGA) test-piloted two pre-orientation sessions this June for incoming Chinese international students, our top country for international students.

Picture: Pre-orientation session in Beijing, China

The sessions, co-organized by Student Orientation and Family Programs, supported by International Admissions and Enrollment and Retention Management, and assisted by the Chinese Student and Scholar Association (CSSA), were held in Beijing and Shanghai to prepare students for their arrival on campus.  Over 300 new Stony Brook students (both Grad and Undergrad) attended the sessions to learn about academic advising and course registration, on- and off-campus housing, FERPA laws, and trip preparation.

Students also heard from peers about student life at Stony Brook, and were put in discussion groups with other students in their major.  Representatives from the OGA, Student Orientation, and CSSA were on-hand to answer questions from both new students and their families about their transition to Stony Brook.

The pre-orientation sessions were an outcome from the AIEA Thematic Forum held at Stony Brook this April.  OGA and Student Orientation and Family Programs will assess the effectiveness of these pilot sessions to determine if the program will expand.