Kent State Geauga Campus is planning their upcoming student orientation, advising and EMPOWER registration program.

The program invites students and their parents or spouses to learn about the services provided to them at Kent State, with multiple advisors and graduate assistants to help.

According to EMPOWER’s page on the Geauga version of Kent State’s website, the program will teach students about financial aid as well as how to use FlashLine and course registration.

Kathryn McGee Cheraso, assistant director of enrollment management and student services, said when she started in her position, student orientation was an individual process rather than completed as a group.

“We want the students to feel a part of the campus before they even (attend) classes,” she said. “We want them to feel engaged and welcomed; the same way their friends’ colleges are welcoming them.”

Graduate assistant Samantha Walter has sent emails to sophomore, junior and senior students at Kent Geauga encouraging them to give their advice to new freshmen students in a video EMPOWER will be creating for their upcoming orientation.

The short video will be called “What I Wish I Knew as a Freshman” and will be shown during the new student orientation.

“Current students have an awesome point of view,” Cheraso said. “There are definitely things you wish you had known as a freshman, and we wanted to add that piece somewhere.”

Katie Rush is the regionals and commuter reporter for the Kent Stater. Contact her [email protected].