Making the move to college is a huge transition, and being a first-year student in a new place is often overwhelming. Dickinson is adamant about making this major life experience as smooth as possible, designing and executing an entirely new initiative, the New Student Guide program, to provide support and resources to first-years as they settle into their new life here in Carlisle this fall.
In previous years, Orientation Leaders helped first year students and transfer students “thrive at adjusting and transitioning to college life by engaging in activities on campus and the greater Carlisle community and connecting with other students, faculty, and staff,” according to the Dickinson College website. Their roles were limted to the students’ first week on campus, as well as the optional Pre-Orientation trips that students could attend as another means of connection-building prior to starting classes. This concentrated exposure occurred in orientation groups, which were seemingly randomized until two years ago, when ResLife began grouping the first-year students by their First Year Seminar. These groups ensured that new students attended mandatory information sessions and helped bond the cohort as a result of proximity and exposure. After orientation concluded, the first-years’ Resident Assistants, (RAs) would help first-years acclimate to Dickinson’s community for the remainder of the year, adding another layer to the already complicated RA role.
This year, Dickinson rolled out a new program for new student orientation and first year students: New Student Guides (NSGs). According to a description posted with the calendar invite for a “Meet and Eat with New Student Guides,” new student guides are here to “serve as mentors for new students, helping them get oriented with campus life.” First-year students were placed in a group with their First Year Seminar classmates, and each course was designated a New Student Guide to mentor the group. Prospective New Student Guides were interviewed in early to mid-April 2025, and those that were offered positions trained for their roles this August in the week prior to new student orientation.
At first glance, it seems as if the role of the New Student Guides is essentially the same as the Orientation Leaders of previous years, with one glaring exception—New Student Guides are with first-year students all year long. In talking to come of the current upperclassmen in New Student Guide roles, it seems like this new position could be making a considerable difference in supporting first-year success through untapped avenues. According to senior NSG Lysie Warner ‘26, “the position is much more hands-on.” She explained that their responsibilities include weekly check-ins with each student, bi-weekly group meals, and hosting multiple events each semester. Warner said “consistent interaction allows us to build strong relationships with our students, creating a space where they feel comfortable asking more personal and challenging questions about navigating college life.”
Another NSG, Lannen Lare ’26, explained that the program is already seeing how these effects manifest in first-years’ success: “I see my students walking around together, beyond the time that I’m with them… it’s cool to see them forming friendships that have resulted in meaningful conversation and connections.” Lare added that the role-specific training has shaped her mentor role for the first-years, explaining that “training sessions gave [us] a lot of insight to pass down to the first-years, and we’ve been getting good feedback from students on how we are helping them feel prepared.”
Not only have the NSGs played a large role during orientation, helping the new students navigate campus and all the events orientation offers, but once orientation is over, they are still there to guide them, give advice, and on occasion host group events, such as dinners where they talk to students and make sure they’re all doing well.
