ELON COLLEGE
– More than 1,000 people from colleges and universities in the Southeast will attend the annual meeting of the National Orientation Directors Association Region VI to be held Friday-Sunday, March 19-21 at Elon College.
James Malinchak, author of the best-selling series “Chicken Soup for the Soul” will speak at 8:30 a.m. in Alumni Memorial Gymnasium. He is the author of numerous other books, including “From College to the Real World.”
Also speaking Saturday is John Gardner, executive director of the National Resource Center for The Freshman Year Experience and Students in Transition will speak Saturday morning. He is an expert on what students need to begin a successful higher education career.
The three-day conference is important because student orientation leaders as well as professional staff members attend, said Rex Waters, assistant dean of students at Elon and a conference coordinator. “It gives them a chance to develop and enhance student orientation programs.”
The conference also features presentations on topics ranging from selecting orientation staff members, hot topics for new students to ideas for orientation programs. Students from the participating colleges and universities also will compete in a skit and song competition at 8 p.m. Saturday.
-30-
Editor’s Note: Journalists are welcome to cover James Malinchak’s speech.