HSU Insider

New Students Discover a Little Taste of University Life as They Sign-Up for Classes

• By Janlyn Echols Thaxton
• Posted April 24, 2009 10:47 PM
• 0 Comments

A banner hangs from the Johnson Building on the Hardin-Simmons University campus that says "Welcome New Students." Abilene High School senior, Emily Woodall, will be one of those incoming freshmen. She plans to major in business.

Meanwhile, back in Logsdon Chapel, Chief Academic Officer, Dr. Bill Ellis says of students, "You will be astonished at the profound change in their lives." Ellis was speaking to a room-full of parents who will have a student at HSU in the fall. Parents and students are attending Spring Round-Up; the first opportunity to sign up for the classes students will take when school starts August 24th.

Bethany Williams came with her parents, Kirk and Cindy Williams, from Lubbock for the event. Bethany will graduate from Lubbock Coronado High School and plans to major in biology at HSU. She wants to play basketball and has already qualified for the Honors Program.

Bethany says, even though she lives near Texas Tech, she wanted the experience of a smaller school environment. "Plus," says Bethany," I wanted to be further away from home so I could have the experience of growing up."

Bethany was one of about 260 students to participate in Spring Round-Up. Students got their first glimpse of what university life will be like while parents were encouraged to stay in the parent orientation meeting, letting the students test their wings as they signed up on their own.

Dr. Ellis told parents, "This is the first step to making students independent. We want them to start growing up, starting today. They are going to experience life here without you. They come to us with a child's perspective; we send them back to you with an adult's perspective on life."

Meanwhile, new students got the chance to find buildings on their own and even got the chance to win some prizes. In fact, Zack Rule of Wylie High School won a $50 gift card to the book store.

Also of Wylie High School, Hayley Thaxton wants to major in biology and hopes for a spot later in the Physical Therapy graduate program. Dr. Mark Ouimette, Head of the Geology and Environmental Sciences, helped Hayley sign up for her classes in English, biology, leadership, psychology, and anatomy. She also hopes to be picked for the HSU track team.

Bethany has already bonded with another Honors Program student who came with her aunt and uncle from the Houston area. Lauren Ciesiensky is the student body secretary back at Baytown Christian Academy. Lauren says,"My decision to come to HSU was based on a desire to attend a smaller university. My choices boiled down to either HSU or LeTourneau in Longview, and HSU won."

Meanwhile, Dr. Ellis set parents minds at ease, "We will treat your student as a child of God as they learn to negotiate the institution. We will keep them focused and offer them resources like free tutoring and adjustment counseling if they become homesick."

Junior student, Neal Springer helped Emily,Hayley, Bethany, Lauren, and other students sign up for New Student Orientation week, which begins August 18.

As a last step in the event, prospective students and parents got to try out a meal in the University cafeteria. Patrick Neville of Houston, who plans to major in communications, told servers in the cafeteria to give him a little of everything. (Now there's a guy who already knows how to negotiate the campus!)

Vicki House, Director of Admissions and Enrollment Services, says the campus expects at least another 400 freshmen and transfer students to sign up for classes before the start of the fall semester.