Every August, the Office of Student Involvement and Development at California State University, Northridge welcomes thousands of new Matadors at the New Student Orientation (NSO).

This year, organizers welcomed 6,000 new students who toured the campus from Aug. 2-25. Participants included first-time freshmen, as well as those transferring from community colleges, and international students.

Orientation staff sort the students by college, major or program and may have the opportunity to hear from either CSUN President Dianne F. Harrison or Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students William Watkins.

NSO plays a key role in welcoming new students to the CSUN campus, said Christopher Aston, assistant director of student development.

“The goal is to bridge and connect students into school — to the academic, social and cultural context of the university,” Aston said. “It’s to support that continuous process of integrating these students.”

NSO is also one of the first times students meet their peers and are able to make friends before the fall semester starts. Current CSUN students lead the tours and activities.

NSO leaders can show students attending a different perspective of the campus. Matador mentor, Jodie Rink states that students attending NSO will get a well-rounded education of CSUN.

“NSO can offer information about the campus as a whole, as well as personal resources that are specific to each individual student depending on how much they share and how much information they want to get,” Rink said. “It’s really focused on the resources on campus and there are a lot of things on campus that freshmen and new students don’t really know about, so it gives them a chance to see what CSUN has to offer.”

While on the tours, students can learn about their class schedules, the library, clubs on campus, the campus book store and the TAKE program, which is a performance of various topics such as relationships, body image, prejudice and overall student transition.

“When you see a bunch of students in the morning, they’re not feeling the unity of the campus yet, and they may come in with a head full of fears and doubts,” Aston said. “But when they leave, you can see the genuine and authentic smiles coming from them.”

For more information about NSO, please click here.

Christopher Aston, CSUN, Education, Matty the Matador, New Student Orientation, NSO, NSO Leaders, Office of Student Involvement and Development, Performance Hall, President Dianne F. Harrison, Students, University Student Union, USU