For students arriving at a new campus, finding their place can be just as important as finding their way around.
This fall, The Ohio State University welcomed transfer, campus change and commuter students to the Columbus campus through Preview Day, an inaugural transition event designed to help students build connections, discover resources and begin their next chapter with confidence.
More than 350 students and supporters participated in the full-day program. Preview Day was developed through a collaboration between the Office of Undergraduate Education's Transition and Academic Success Strategies and the Office of Student Life's Off-Campus and Commuter Student Engagement, with funding support from the Office of Academic Affairs, Student Life and Undergraduate Education.
Bringing transition support together
Preview Day grew from three separate events that had traditionally supported students entering or transitioning to the Columbus campus each August.
The Office of Undergraduate Education coordinated the Regional Campus Student Welcome for students moving from an Ohio State regional campus to Columbus. A Transfer Student Welcome served new transfer students, while Student Life's Off-Campus and Commuter Student Engagement coordinated Commuter Preview Day for first-time commuter students, many of whom were also transfer students.
With the programs occurring around the same time and often serving overlapping student populations, university partners saw an opportunity to bring them together.
Preview Day combined the three programs into one comprehensive experience, making it easier for students to access transition support while providing campus change and transfer students with an in-person introduction to the Columbus campus.
Throughout the day, students connected with campus partners, explored resource and college fairs, participated in educational breakout sessions and learned more about opportunities to get involved at Ohio State.
One activity brought the goals of the day to life. During a Photo Challenge, students worked in groups to follow clues to locations and landmarks across campus. Guided by Student Alumni Council volunteers, they explored their new surroundings, learned Ohio State facts and got to know one another along the way.
For Anessa Becton-Howard, assistant director of Transfer & Transition Success, what happened when the students returned was particularly meaningful.
“The most rewarding part was seeing students return energized and enthusiastic, talking with one another, sharing their experiences, and exchanging contact information,” Becton-Howard said. “Watching those connections form in real time was truly exciting.”
Creating confidence and belonging
Of the 320 students who participated in Preview Day, 50% were transfer students, 33% were new first-year commuter students and 16% were campus change students. Thirty-six percent of attendees were first-generation college students.
The program was informed by challenges identified in recent campus change and transfer student research provided by the Office of Institutional Research and Planning, with a focus on sense of belonging, campus navigation, resource awareness and student involvement.
Survey results following Preview Day suggest the experience made a difference in those areas:
- 98% agreed or strongly agreed they were aware of opportunities to get involved.
- 97% agreed or strongly agreed they felt confident starting at Ohio State.
- 96% agreed or strongly agreed Preview Day increased their knowledge of campus resources and support services.
- 94% agreed or strongly agreed they felt connected to the Ohio State community and could see themselves belonging there.
Overall, 95% of attendees rated Preview Day “Very Good” or “Excellent.”
One student summed up the experience simply: “I loved getting to know the other students, and I feel a lot more connected.”
For Becton-Howard, the impact was also visible in the students themselves.
“What stood out most was the sense of excitement and ease students seemed to feel throughout the day,” she said. “Many arrived eager to be on campus, and by the end of the program there appeared to be a noticeable shift from nervousness and uncertainty to confidence and anticipation.”
For students navigating a new campus and a new chapter at Ohio State, Preview Day offered something equally important: an opportunity to begin finding their place in the university community.