For new students, finding out about the activities and opportunities offered at Syracuse University can be overwhelming, but this year they have 44 easy options.

Every year, new students receive a poster with ‘44 things to do at SU’ during Syracuse Welcome, the freshman orientation program.  The Office of First-Year & Transfer Programs wanted to create something more concrete, so on Monday they launched Explore 44, a campaign with 44 days worth of activities in and around campus.

Lisa Chestney, the assistant director of the Office of First-Year & Transfer Programs said the idea for the campaign stemmed from a desire to help students after Syracuse Welcome ends.

“I think the strategy was to try to match as many things on the list of 44 to actual events going on campus,” Chestney said.“The more we can translate the theoretical idea of getting involved — here’s something you that you should do — to something that you can actually do that day.”

At the campaign’s launch, orientation leaders and the Office of First-Year & Transfer Programs set up a tent on the Quad where students took pictures with Otto the Orange and their graduation year.

Freshman Steven Szachara said he likes the concept of Explore 44 and was one of the nearly 150 people who got their picture taken with Otto on the campaign’s first day.

“Why not take a picture with Otto?” Szachara said, a systems and information science major.

Social media is the driving force behind the campaign. Carrie Abbott, the director of the Office of First-Year & Transfer Programs, said the high amount of Twitter followers they have would help them communicate Explore 44 to students.

The schedule of events is posted in every residence hall so students can choose what they want to do each day. With challenges like, “attend the BE Wise BE-BQ”, “go ice skating at Tennity Ice Skating Pavilion” and “do Relay for Life”, senior orientation leader Rachel Wolsky said she thinks Explore 44 gives students a wide variety of things to participate in.

“After the first couple days of Syracuse Welcome, it’s important for them to still feel involved and not be stranded,” Wolsky said. “It gives them a very broad spectrum of things to do.”

Chestney added that this program gives students a chance to explore the university throughout their first few weeks, rather than just their first few days.

“I think there’s just so much to do on the Syracuse University campus that it’s hard to cover all of it, even during Syracuse Welcome and our orientation program,” Chestney said. “So this is a great way to continue informing new students about different campus traditions and events.”

Published on August 27, 2014 at 12:01 am

Contact Emma: ekbaty@syr.edu