SMALL PACK LEADERTRAINING

FALL 2015

Training Overview

•New student challenges•Small Pack Leader resources•Communication with your co-leader and your pack members

•Summer timeline•Orientation Overview

The Basics•Approximately 1,000 new international students will be arriving at the end of July and beginning of August

•Students are grouped into Small Packs of approximately 25 students to make a more personal and efficient experience

•Each SPL will have a Co-Leader and together you will correspond with your assigned Small Pack over the summer

•Orientation Day! August 12th – 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Key Challenges for International Students

• Transportation • Bank Accounts• Phones• Language

Challenges• Food• Housing• Friends/Family• Limited Suitcase

Space

• Academic Differences• Power Distance• Academic Integrity

• Campus Life• Student Life• Decentralized

• Culture• (“Hey how are

you?”)

SPL RESOURCES

Who’s Who?

Random Questions•Lauren Ball – Assistant Director for Programs •Alexis McCloskey – Programs Coordinator•TBD – Small Pack Coordinator, Orientation Team Member

Immigration and Employment Questions•ois@ncsu.edu •Forward all immigration and employment questions to OIS,

do not attempt to answer these questions yourself.

Resource Manual

•The Small Pack Resource Manual will be emailed to your individual email accounts by April 27th

•Contains:–Sample Introductory Email –Frequently Asked Questions to help you address and easily answer common questions

–Ice Breakers to give you ideas for ways to get your group talking the morning of Orientation

–Social Event Ideas for fun ways to Check-In with your Small Pack throughout the Fall semester

–OIS Programs to encourage your Pack members to get involved

THE GAME PLAN

Small Pack Communication

•Use a single email account to be shared between co-leaders (hosted by NCSU Gmail; password and login information will be provided)

•Create an email signature that includes pack number and leader names

•Write your intro email together, making sure both co-leaders introduce themselves

•Respond to questions within 48 hours•Include fun NCSU/Raleigh information! •Social Media – the Pros and the Cons

Timeline

April 27: Receive Resource Manual and Co-Leader Assignments

April 29: Receive Small Pack member list

May 18: Email Small Pack members with your introductory email

June and July: Correspond with your Small Pack members!

August 11: Final SPL meeting at 5:30 PM (Talley)

August 12: Orientation Day! August 13: Info Fair and Mini-

Sessions

Summer Responsibilities

• Introductory Email – Send by May 8th• Answer your group’s questions throughout the

summer• Forward additional information provided by the

Small Pack Coordinator (TBD)• Contact Lauren, Alexis,

or SPL Coordinator for

assistance on tough

questions• Come up with 2-3

icebreakers for

Orientation Day

The Do’s and Don’ts

• DO forward any deferrals or “I’m not coming” emails to Lauren

• Do NOT attempt to answer immigration or specific employment questions

–Forward these questions to ois@ncsu.edu

• Do NOT share student contact information without their permission

• DO remember to “BCC” your Small Pack members when emailing the entire group

ORIENTATION EVENTS

Orientation OverviewWednesday, August 12th – 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.• Small Pack Time

• Explain the day’s schedule• Answer Questions• Icebreaker Games

• Morning Orientation Session• Raffle• Important Information

• Lunch – Eat with your Small Pack and help them get back to Talley for the Afternoon Orientation Session

• Afternoon Orientation Session• Small Pack Time – Orientation Recap and Answer Questions• Optional: Campus Tours and International Student Org Meetings

Orientation Overview (cont’d)

Thursday, August 13th • Information Fair: 11:00 a.m. –

1:00 p.m. • Talley State Ballroom• Chance for students to connect

with campus offices and student groups

• Mini Sessions: 2:30 – 4:30 p.m.• Conference style sessions where

students can pick what interests them

• Locations TBA

ODDS & ENDS

Additional Resources

•Departmental Ambassadors•Country Contacts•International Student Organizations

–See page 3 of your Small Pack Resource Manual

•These people have volunteered to help answer questions. Do not be afraid to use them or to suggest that a student contact one of these groups/individuals!

Other Orientation Volunteer Needs

• Check-In Volunteers – Weekly July 17th through August 17th

– Assist with copying of immigration documentation and review “First Things First” Information at Check-In

• Airport Pick-up Volunteers – July 31st – August 11th

– Ride “shotgun” on airport trips to locate students, welcome them, and get them to their housing

• Information Fair – August 13th – Talley State Ballroom from 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

• Mini-Sessions – August 13th – Main Campus Classrooms (TBD) – 2:30 – 4:30 p.m.

Welcome Party• Friday, August 28th in the Talley State

Ballroom• Fun, Food, Friends, and Games!• 6:00 – 9:00 p.m.

Your Final Exam• A new student asks for the contact information for anyone coming from

their home country because they’re looking for roommates. What should you do?

–A. Give them the name and email address for everyone from their home country.

–B. Explain that you can’t provide that information because of privacy laws in the US but offer to connect them with a Country Contact, a student organization or direct them to OIS.

–C. Direct them to Craigslist and tell them to go with the first person they find.

• You receive an email from one of your Small Pack members and they have unfortunately decided not to come to NC State. What do you need to do with the email?

–A. Ignore their email. NC State is the best.

–B. Try to convince them that they made a mistake and should still come to NC State.

–C. Thank them anyways and forward their email to Lauren Ball in OIS.

Your Final Exam (Page 2)• Your co-leader suggests that you make a Facebook group to communicate

with your group members instead of email. What is your response?

–A. Great idea but you prefer Whatsapp instead.

–B. Facebook’s the best. Let’s stop using our email account and focus on Facebook.

–C. Respond that Facebook is great but remind your co-leader that not everyone will have reliable access to Facebook while outside the United States.

• You received a question from one of your Pack members that is clearly a question about immigration. What do you do?

–A. Google it.

–B. Forward the email to OIS@ncsu.edu.

–C. Ignore their question because you don’t know how to respond.

Your Final Exam (Page 3)• What day do you need to be available and on-campus for Fall 2015

orientation?

–A. Wednesday, August 12th

–B. Thursday, August 13th

–C. What orientation?

• What office at NC State has the BEST volunteers on campus?

–A. The Office of International Services

–B. Registration & Records

–C. The Cashier’s Office

Have Fun!!!Thanks for your willingness to help

welcome our new international students for Fall 2015!!