Capitol College welcomes the incoming freshmen of the class of 2016 this week during its three-day, new student orientation. Orientation offers students a chance to settle into their new home and register for the first classes they will be taking at Capitol.
This week, Capitol is welcoming more than 110 new students during orientation. While 87 percent of the new students are from the state of Maryland, 11 total states are represented in the group. Some students are attending Capitol from as far as China and Austria. The incoming group of students represents an 11% increase from 2011’s incoming class, and among the new scholars, information assurance is the most popular major.
“It’s a small college and you feel more at home here than at some of the bigger schools,” freshman Josh Hernandez said. “I’m going to study astronautical engineering and hopefully get my doctorate one day in the same field.”
After moving into the dorms and registering for classes, students attended various information sessions and workshops. Session topics included financial aid, what to expect at college, class advising, drug and alcohol awareness, living on campus, computer services and career services, among others. Students were also given tours of various campus facilities, including the learning center and the library. Social activities are also important to the orientation process as students meet and become friends with their fellow classmates.
“I didn’t want to go too far from home and one of my engineering teachers in high school recommended Capitol,” said Bowie native, Capitol freshman and computer engineering major Sam Baiyewu. “I’ve always liked computers and I think the small class sizes here will make [classes] easier.”
There were numerous sessions for the parents of the incoming freshmen that detailed what opportunities will be available to their children during their time at Capitol. Again, faculty and staff were available to discuss any concerns or questions of the parents and students.
“There are a lot of free tutoring opportunities here and with the small classes, there is a lot of one-on-one with the teachers.” said Doreen Hernandez, mother of freshman Josh Hernandez. “They’re getting the kids prepared for the real world.”
Undergraduate classes for the Fall 2012 semester begin on Monday, Aug. 20.