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Welcome Week Reimagined: Harnessing Cross-Campus Partnerships.

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Industry

Education

Challenge

CNU’s Welcome Week struggled with low student engagement and ineffective programming. Sessions were often lecture-style, students were overwhelmed by the volume of information, and social anxiety among students created barriers to participation. Traditional programming failed to equip students with practical skills or foster meaningful connections, leaving both faculty and students dissatisfied with the outcomes.

Results

The reimagined Welcome Week transformed student engagement by emphasizing small group sessions, active learning, and time management skills. Leveraging VisualZen Onboarding (VZO) as a scheduling tool, CNU facilitated a dynamic, customizable experience that reduced social anxiety and improved participation. Students practiced navigating real-life academic and social scenarios, fostering confidence and connection within the CNU community.

Key Product

VZO

www.govzo.com

"We weren’t reaching them, we weren’t engaging them—and it showed. Students were nervous, overwhelmed, and disconnected, so we knew we had to do something different."

Katie Johnston

Director, Orientation & Student Involvement

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Christopher Newport University

CNU, located in Newport News, Virginia, is a nationally recognized public liberal arts university. With a focus on leadership, civic engagement, and academic excellence, CNU fosters a strong sense of community among its students, faculty, and staff. Known for its personalized approach to student success, CNU emphasizes cross-campus collaboration to create impactful programs like its reimagined Welcome Week.

The Challenge

In 2022, CNU’s Welcome Week faced significant challenges. Sessions were often lecture-heavy and lacked opportunities for active participation. Many students reported heightened social anxiety, fear of making friends, and difficulty managing their schedules. Faculty noted poor student engagement in early classes, and institutional feedback highlighted the need for a stronger sense of belonging among new students.

Orientation leaders observed a sharp decline in attendance and energy as the week progressed, with students struggling to transition from high school to the university environment. Traditional programming failed to prepare students for the realities of academic and social life at CNU.

The Solution

Katie Johnston and her team took a bold approach to redesign Welcome Week, turning it into a simulated week of college. Students engaged in 15 hours of small group sessions that mirrored academic schedules, focusing on practical skills such as reading syllabi, managing Google Calendar, and practicing constructive dialogue.
 
The new format incorporated:
 
  • Cross-campus collaboration: Faculty, staff, and orientation leaders facilitated small group sessions tailored to students’ academic interests and housing assignments.

  • Dynamic scheduling with VZO: VisualZen Onboarding’s enhanced scheduling features streamlined group assignments and session locations, eliminating logistical bottlenecks.

  • Optional social opportunities: Students could choose from low-pressure activities, such as ice cream outings or walks on the Nolan Trail, fostering inclusivity for those with social anxiety.
This innovative approach allowed students to practice navigating a typical week of college while fostering a sense of connection and community.
 
"The new Welcome Week wasn’t just about orientation—it was about practicing school before they did school. Students could see what a real week looked like, and it made a world of difference in how they adjusted."

- Katie Johnston, Director, Orientation & Student Involvement

The Results

CNU’s reimagined Welcome Week yielded impressive results:

  • Increased engagement: Students attended more sessions consistently throughout the week, even during traditionally low-participation periods.

  • Improved participation: Small group activities and facilitated discussions rated highest in student evaluations.

  • Streamlined processes: Leveraging VZO enabled efficient scheduling, reducing staff workload and eliminating reliance on cumbersome spreadsheets.

  • Enhanced confidence: Students gained practical skills, such as time management and email communication, helping them transition more effectively into academic life.
By emphasizing cross-campus collaboration, smaller session sizes, and practical learning, the program fostered a stronger sense of belonging and better equipped students for success at CNU.

 

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