New Student Orientation

A Message from Saint Michael's College President John Neuhauser

I offer each of you new students a warm and sincere welcome to Saint Michael's College. You are entering a new community with its own set of explicit and implicit norms which you will have to learn. Leaving all that is familiar and comfortable is not easy, despite the brave front we all put on. There will likely be times of homesickness and loneliness - as much or more so for your parents - but it is part of the gamble that each generation takes. With a little luck, some hard work and an open mind, this will be a grand experience, one of the very few that lasts a lifetime. You have been given a four-year window that can change you profoundly, if you let it. You will leave with great friends and great memories.

But as important as memories are, we have other expectations for you as well. Saint Michael's College takes the role of student formation very seriously. By student formation I do not mean indoctrination or imposing values from the outside. Rather, these four years at a residential college with a long academic tradition ought to provide the opportunity for each individual to grow along three dimensions: intellectual, social, and moral or spiritual.

We believe each student should be presented with standards for intellectual growth based on evidence, standards for social behavior that encourage respect and understanding for others, and standards for moral and spiritual development which enable one to interpret the world and decide freely on the precepts that will guide their own life. We are about helping you develop habits of heart and mind.

That is what a Catholic liberal arts college can provide - development of the whole person, not parts of a person. No other period of your life will permit such intense change, so I ask you to embrace all of it with seriousness and with joy.

This is a warm and supportive community. It will welcome and nurture you and provide comfort in times of trouble. The faculty and staff are here to help, so use them. We all need a hand at times, so never hesitate to ask for assistance. That’s why we are here.

One final caution: the start is very important. In my experience, the first six weeks are critical for they set the tone, not only for your college years, but for a lifetime. Begin well, and the rest is easy.

A Student's Perspective on Orientation

I remember every last detail of my orientation. From the crammed SUV full of way too much stuff, to the U-Haul wagon my father insisted on renting, orientation marked a very memorable time in my life. We pulled into campus to the orientation leaders' loud whistles and screams, and signs reading "Too Much Stuff," obviously pointing right at me as I was the car towing the fleet of storage units behind. I moved into my new residence hall, had that first encounter with the new roommate, met my orientation leaders and eventually sat down in this chapel for convocation.

I felt some uneasiness and anxiety and before I knew it, I was officially on my own. Yet as orientation progressed, I quickly realized that I was not alone in this. Not only were there 500 other students in the same boat as me, there were the orientation leaders who had experienced all of this before, and who lent their support and knowledge to us. 

As orientation continued I became even more comfortable and took part in all of the activities. This is how I met some of my best friends. I was able to step out of my comfort zone and immerse myself into this new environment. I have not looked back since. My advice to the incoming class: Step out of your comfort zone and never be afraid to try something new. This is the way that I have lived my times here at Saint Michael’s and it has never steered me wrong.

A Current Student's Perspective on Faith & Community

I awake each day and start moving, working, studying - always searching for stimulus - rarely do I hear God, who speaks often quietly. The busier I get, the more I do not listen - until, surprised, I realize I am not on solid ground anymore. Emotionally, physically, spiritually, I have drifted. My first week of college was like that: unstable ground - a wild day of move-in, introductions, new people, an unfamiliar campus. It is all too easy to lose sight of that peace, that calm.

During the first months, I sought out St. Mike's Campus Ministry. I joined LINK, a student-lead meditation where, once a week, I relaxed with friends and reflected on the struggles and the trials of the year. As Christians, we offered our faith stories, laughed over shared experiences, and encouraged each other.

LINK was my doorway to a community. In November, I signed up for the Emmaus Retreat, offered by Campus Ministry in Stowe, VT. Interestingly, the spirit of that retreat still stays with me. I strongly urge you all to join this fall - a weekend away from campus, a powerful set of reflections - you find yourself energized; you make lasting relationships. My good memories lingered into the spring and when the retreat was offered again in March, I joined Team, a group of leaders who structure the program. This time, I watched a retreat which had rejuvenated me, impact others. And in a memorable way, I gave back to this college what it had offered me - community, friendship, and a doorway to adult faith.

These years at St. Mike's are yours: seek peace here, seek rest. Each day, this ministry reminds us that to live the call: love and serve.