Week of Welcome (WOW) leaders undergo the application process this week in order to welcome the incoming freshmen class in the fall.

The main purpose of WOW leaders is to welcome new students in the fall and provide them with a safe and easy transition into college life.

“When students come for orientation, they remain in the middle phase of still being a high school student and not really knowing how to be a college student,” Assistant Director of Student Development and Campus Activities Niki Fjeldal said. “As soon as orientation is over many forget what they have learned about Pace and the campus. Week of Welcome tries to give students a refresher before the semester begins.”

Incoming students have previously been required to attend one session of summer orientation prior to the start of their first semester. With the addition of another required attendance for the first week, before the semester starts, students are able to get another view of the campus before they are thrown into classes.

“Many students often wonder why they are required to attend both the Orientation and Week of Welcome programs,” Fjeldal said. “Extensive research shows that students who participate in programs like these are more successful during their first year of college. Orientation and Welcome events provide students with the opportunity to meet people, become familiar with their new surroundings, and learn about the academic and social norms or the University before classes even start. They are designed to complement one another and contribute to your success.”

Very similar to orientation, incoming students are broken up into groups lead by a current Pace student and attend a week full of daytime programs. Some of the programs include campus tours in which students are able to ask questions and learn where their classes will be.

Based on surveys collected from the students that participated in the WOW program last year, roughly 90 percent of the students expressed that the WOW program was “very useful.” The main reasons that students selected for the program’s success were being able to meet more new people, and having better campus awareness, with knowing where their fall classes were.

Orientation Leaders (OLs) who are not Resident Assistants (RAs) become WOW leaders in the fall after they return back to campus from their break in August. However, students who are not OLs may apply to be WOW leaders during the fall.

Last year, Pace hired roughly 32 WOW leaders for the fall, including the majority of the 14 OLs that were hired. This year there were between 35 and 40 applicants for specifically the WOW leader position.

“I look for someone that is genuine, knowledgeable, and personable to be a WOW leader,” Fjeldal said. “They need to be able to get along well with others and have genuine Pace Pride.”

On Wed. March 5, online applications for WOW leaders were due, and those applying participated in a group process program. As part of the requirements to be hired, students must meet Grade Point Average (GPA) requirements as well as a judicial check. Group process applicants then undergo an interview on Fri. March 7 and will receive offer letters for the position on March 14.

If accepted for the position as WOW leader, students move in the week before the semester begins. As compensation WOW leaders receive a $150 stipend and the Pace apparel that goes with the job.

“Being an OL and a WOW leader has given me a sense of belonging and purpose,” junior history and political science major Ashley Lora said.  “Students confide in me to help them make the most out of their experience.”

Students that have positions such as WOW leaders also gain experience through leadership and the knowledge from training sessions both before and after the summer break.