2. CONNECT 2016
Engaging New & Incoming
Students through OrgSync
Presented by
Debbie Allison, Assistant Director, Leadership Experience & Programs, Whittier College
Katie Clendening, Student Ambassador, Leadership Experience & Programs, Whittier College

3. Background

4. CONNECT 2016
OrgSync Comes to Whittier
• Selected by students in Fall 2013
• Soft launch in Spring 2013, fully launched
in Fall 2014
• One umbrella, ~90 portals
• Currently using: Budget module, payment
gateway, card swipe

5. CONNECT 2016
Why the Need to Engage?
• OrgSync profile creation added to the new
student checklist
• No new content created during summer
• Missing key engagement opportunity

6. Whittier’s Successes

7. CONNECT 2016
Engaging Incoming Students:
POET Sync Blog
• A 10 week blog on OrgSync focused on
targeting first-year students
• Advertised through “Class of” page on
Facebook
• Written and promoted by student
ambassadors

8. CONNECT 2016
Engaging Incoming Students:
POET Sync Blog
• Topics Including:
-15 Tips for Incoming Students
-Science and Learning Center Spotlight
-All About Program Board (& Welcome Week)
-First Year Res Hall Spotlight (Video Included)
-Uptown (Whittier) Funk
-Spotlight on ASWC Senate

9. CONNECT 2016
Katie Clendening's Fabulous Day at Stauffer Hall

10. CONNECT 2016
Engaging New Students:
Infusing OrgSync into Activities Fair
• 2014 Activities Fair: Powered by OrgSync
featuring OrgSync training stations
• 2015 Activities Fair: “Find your Fit” Station
• Students stop by, share their interests, and
using OrgSync, ambassadors connect them
with interests

11. Challenges

12. CONNECT 2016
Barriers to Continued Engagement
• Keeping up with Generation Z
• OrgSync no longer on the new student
checklist
• Competition with other campus systems;
not yet a one-stop shop
• Money and justification

13. Opportunities

14. CONNECT 2016
New Opportunities for Engagement
• Additional umbrellas: Residential Life, Athletics
• Keeping current with student trends: Buzzfeed
style articles
• Better integration into Orientation
• Collaboration with faculty and academic advisors

15. Breakout/Discussion

16. CONNECT 2016
Let’s Get Creative!
• Break into groups of 3-4
• Choose a type of institution and a department within
that institution to represent
• Design a program/initiative from your department to
engage either incoming/new students using OrgSync
or Collegiate Link
• Share out!

17. CONNECT 2016
Final Thoughts
• Identify a need, find a way to fill it
• Engage your students where they’re at and
in ways they already engage
• Infuse OrgSync into existing programs

18. Questions?

19. CONNECT 2016
Thank you!
Debbie Allison
dallison@whittier.edu
Katie Clendening
kclenden@poets.whittier.edu