Oracle Online

But it takes some effort to gather these students for the Hamline Experience. And this effort comes from the Admissions office.

Admissions Counselor Stephanie Harris is organizing the entire event for her first time, during which on Thursday she estimated she will spend 14 consecutive waking hours on campus on Sunday. On her computer sit spreadsheets full of names of prospective students. Color-coded index cards used to match host students with their visitors litter her office.
“My office is a disaster,” she said.

But when it's all over and the fall semester rolls around, a large percentage of those students matriculate. Director of Admissions Steve Bjork confirmed the ratio, although neither could give exact number.

“It’s a pretty high statistic,” Bjork said. “These are students who are pre-disposed to coming to Hamline. This is a checkpoint for them. ‘Is this the environment I think it is?’”

The hosts, Harris said, are found through Residential Life and coaches. Some hosts, however, volunteer for the program even before mailings go out to students. Other work is done by admissions staff, who contact professors about classes and office hours and inform prospective students of the event. The whole program is designed to have students meet community members before they arrive on campus in an effort to eliminate the culture shock of new college life.

Bjork said he always worries about the students, a worry that comes from the discrepancy between high school students, who are still under the purview of the parents, and college students, who may be emancipated adults.

“We haven’t had any issues over the years,” Bjork said. Nonetheless, Bjork’s cell phone is on and next to his bed all night.

However, Bjork did say about eight years ago hosts brought their visitor to an 18-plus nightclub.

“That was not appropriate,” Bjork said.