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Welcome!

Welcome to the 2008 Opening Days website! This is your source for information about Opening Days, Willamette's new student orientation program. In addition to general information about orientation, you can find profiles of your Opening Days leaders, a schedule for orientation, and information about transportation and lodging in the Salem area.

Opening Days, often called OD, is designed to engage first-year and transfer students in the earliest stages of life at Willamette. In doing this, we strive to create a safe environment for them to express themselves through social and classroom interactions, and to bridge the gap between students of different class standing in order to create a more diverse and interactive Willamette with each consecutive year.

2008 OD Leadteam:
Alice Worden (Coordinator), Paul Eldred, Rachael Peterson, Mari Miyazaki, Jon Collins

Our program staff is comprised of Opening Days Leaders, current sophomores, juniors, and seniors with a passion for leadership who have committed to making sure that new students have the best possible experience during their first few days at Willamette. OD Leaders are paired up and placed with a group of 10-15 new students who go through the OD experience together. The large number of student leaders reflects the commitment of Opening Days to remain largely student run, keeping the program fresh and relevant every year. OD leaders also strive to support the incoming transfer and international students in a variety of ways so that every new student gets the resources they need to succeed during their first semester here.

If you're already excited about Opening Days, watch your mailbox throughout the summer for more information about Opening Days and Jump Start, as well as profiles of your leaders. Connecting with your leaders over the summer will give you a head start in meeting new people and will give you someone to find when you arrive on campus. This website is also a constant source of information, so check back often for updates and changes.

From everyone in the Office of Student Activities and from the 2008 Opening Days staff, we hope you have a fantastic summer and anxiously await your arrival this August!
Best wishes,

Alice Worden '08
Opening Days Coordinator 2008