by Khalics Bryant
Horizon Reporter
With a new school year come hundreds of new students. With each student there are possibly hundreds of questions that require answering to ensure students aren’t confused when the quarter begins. To assist in making the transition from high school to college less painful, Whatcom Community College hosts Running Start Orientations each year for new Running Start students.
These tours take place during the first two weeks in September and provide Whatcom’s youngest students with important information on how to use college resources, tips for success here at Whatcom, procedures for registering for classes, ways to enjoy your time on campus, and much more.
Sarah Pearson, Running Start Program Manager, and Guy Smith, a communications instructor, spoke with new students and some of their parents about the many ways they can ensure they will succeed at Whatcom.
“I’m a nerd,” said Smith with a big smile as he addressed the more than 50 Whatcom freshmen sitting in the Syre Student Center auditorium. “ I say hello to you fellow nerds out there.”
Smith spoke about some of the decisions he made while going to college and the benefits of applying what your learn to your everyday life. He also spoke about how he “could use what I learned in umpire school,” to solve disputes, giving the new students an example of using what you learn.
After the speakers finished, students were given a tour of the campus to ensure they can make their way to and from classes when the quarter begins. The large group in the auditorium was broken down to 10, or more, smaller groups each lead by a student leader. Parents were given a separate tour as they received information from Pearson on tuition and payments.
