1. Building Lasting Traditions Above and Beyond Everyday Programming Brett Bruner, Director of Persistence & Retention Fort Hays State University Randy Flowers, Director of Student Life Baker University NODA: Association for Orientation, Transition & Retention in Higher Education 2014 Region IV Conference | Houston, TX

2. Overview of Session Traditions Created at Baker University and Fort Hays State University Summer Orientation Welcome Weeks Transition Programs Retention Programs Training Sessions Methods to Bridge Creation of New Traditions Assessment/ Outcomes of Programs Closing Reflection/Q&A

3. Background of Institutions Fort Hays State University Regional, comprehensive state university 13,000 total students (5,000 on-campus traditional undergrads) Located in Hays, KS (halfway between Kansas City & Denver) New student cohort (Fall 2013) 950 first year students 450 transfer students 150 international students

4. Background of Institutions Baker University Private, Methodist based university 800 students Located in Baldwin City, KS (1 hour southwest Kansas City) New student cohort 235 first year students 47 transfer students

5. Summer Orientation Baker University What I Wish I Knew Then 1 st College Quiz (OMG My Millennial Is Going To College) Community Standards and Student Privacy Fort Hays State University FHSU Introduction Video Academics 101 #ImATiger Traditions Tour

6. Summer Orientation Baker University What I Wish I Knew Then 1 st College Quiz (OMG My Millennial Is Going To College) Community Standards and Student Privacy

7. Summer Orientation Fort Hays State University FHSU Introduction Video Academics 101 #ImATiger Traditions Tour

8. Welcome Weeks Baker University Class Photo Academic Welcome Traditions Walk Playfair

9. Welcome Weeks Fort Hays State University Traditions Night Class Banner New Student Inductions Class Crawl College Competitions

10. Transition Programs Baker University Emerging Leaders Summit Commuter Connection Out-Of-Staters Pizza Lunches Cat Connections

11. Transition Programs Fort Hays State University 1 st 40 Days at FHSU Fort Hays First

12. Retention Programs Fort Hays State University Collegiate Recovery Faculty/ Staff Retention Symposium

13. Training Sessions Orientation Leader Graduation Social Excellence Training

14. Methods for Bridging Creation of New Traditions with Campus Stakeholders Campus Buy-in Partnerships Importance of Key University Officials

15. Assessment/ Outcomes of Programs Takes time! Inherit traditions, so now how do we change them? Need stakeholders buy-in! Evidence for change!

16. Building Lasting Traditions Above and Beyond Everyday Programming Brett Bruner, Fort Hays State University blbruner@fhsu.edu Randy Flowers, Baker University randy.flowers@bakeru.edu NODA: Association for Orientation, Transition & Retention in Higher Education 2014 Region IV Conference | Houston, TX