Leader. Mentor. Advisor. Motivator. Friend.

Just a few words to describe the role of an Orientation Leader to a first year student during the summer and throughout the academic year. Orientation Leaders, commonly known as OL’s, are an integral part of every first year student’s success on the New Paltz campus. As one of the first faces that a new student comes to know, OL’s are ‘goodwill ambassadors’ trained to help an incoming first year student feel comfortable about their new “home away from home”.

Each Orientation leader is carefully trained to be able to help make a new student’s adjustment easier. On top of showing students around, the OL helps students feel more comfortable about the college transition by answering their questions about college and college life, helping them bond with other students through a series of activities, and making sure they have a schedule that works for them.

After Orientation is over, an OL is still an active part of their students’ lives. For the rest of the school year, the OL acts as a Peer Mentor for their students. An Orientation Leader/Peer Mentor is at once a contact, a friend, a role model and a source of support for first year students when they are needed.