Summer Orientation Days scheduled at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College

Orientation leaders have been selected from the ABAC student body. This group is tasked with the planning, development, and execution of the Orientation, Convocation, and Welcome Weekend programming.

TIFTON — Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College has announced seven orientation days scheduled for this summer.

Scheduled days are June 3, 10, 22 and 27; and July 8, 13 and  22.

Welcome Weekend, which is part of orientation, will kick off Aug. 9 and continue through Aug, 12. The weekend will include a kickoff event, an introduction to life in Tifton and a “Stallion Training” day, all designed to welcome new students. Welcome Week will finish up with a convocation at 9 a.m. on Aug. 12, giving freshmen an official welcome to campus.

“Orientation gives our first-time students all the tools they will need to be successful in their first semester,” Trent Hester, director of Residence Life and Housing and orientation director for ABAC, said. “We will cover everything from how to access all your classes to how to email your professors. We will review every club and organization that we offer on campus, and we’re going to offer campus tours. We want students excited about coming to ABAC.”

Hester said that both parents and students will have informational presentations during orientation.

“For the parents and guests, we work to include them in as much of the college process as we can, so they have their own set of presentations,” Hester said. “They hear about a lot of the same topics as the students, like academic engagement, but they also hear how they can stay involved with their students. They’ll hear from the Alumni Association, ABAC police, and the dean of students. When they leave, we want them to feel like their student is going to have a great experience here socially and academically, but also that they can trust us to take care of their kids.”

Hester said this will be the second year ABAC will have orientations for non-English-speaking parents.

“We are incredibly excited to include this essential component of our orientation program,” Hester said. “Parent involvement, especially during freshman year, is key to students staying the course, and providing an orientation and information to parents who primarily speak Spanish is crucial for these students and parents.”

Hester said that 22 orientation leaders have been selected from the student body. This group is tasked with the planning, development, and execution of the orientation, convocation, and Welcome Weekend programming and will provide not only important information, but also a first-hand perspective from a student’s point of view.

Orientation leaders include Brianna Payne, an agricultural education major from Lincoln, Ala.; Jenna Williams, a Biology major from Douglas; Abigail Rainwater, an Agricultural Communication major from Perry; Anslee James, a Writing and Communication major from Sylvester; Bella Williams, a Biology major from Rocky Face; Blake Nicholson, an Agricultural Education major from Mineral Bluff; Chris Marsh, a Biology major from Dothan, Ala.; Daniel Durrence, an Agricultural Technology Management major from Moultrie; Diana Garduno, a Nursing major from Douglas; Gabby Salas, a Nursing major from Tifton; Gracie Bananto, an Agricultural Education major from Warner Robins; and Kennedy Plumley, a Conservation Law Enforcement major from Cartersville.

Other orientation leaders are Kimbernesha Barnes, a Criminal Justice major from Tifton; Laura Wiley, a Business major from Rebecca; Laurie Jo Burt, a Nursing major from Moultrie; Lily Harbuck, a Social & Community Development major from Americus; Lionela Gutierrez, a Writing and Communication major from Adel; Margaret Jones, an Agricultural Education major from Rock Hill, S.C.; Reanna Brown, an Agricultural Education major from Lake Wales, Fla.; Skylar Hyde, an Agricultural Education major from Canton; Wendy Gonzales, a Writing and Communication major from Tifton; and Joceline Tinajero Campos, an Education major from Albany.

Special Photo: ABAC