Next year’s orientation leaders who help transition students and parents to TCU and Fort Worth will be selected in the coming weeks and current leaders reflect on the benefits.

“Being an orientation leader is the greatest thing I’ve done since coming to TCU,” orientation coordinator John Biebighauser said. “It really helped give me such a deep appreciation for TCU and all of the things that happen behind the scenes that make TCU so special.”

That behind-the-scenes look into campus life is worth the investment, orientation leader Christian Flick said.

“Orientation is a lot of work, but is also one of the most gratifying things that I have done,” Flick said, encouraging students to apply. “At the very least, you receive interview experience, and, if it works out, you get an incredible opportunity.”

During orientation sessions the leaders facilitate small group sessions, lead first-year students around campus and help with academics and advising.

“Orientation leaders are probably some of the most knowledgeable students on campus because they have to be able to advise students from every imaginable background in every imaginable major as well as answer questions about all aspects of student life at TCU,” Biebighauser said.

In each orientation session, orientation leaders are grouped in pairs. They are able to switch co-leaders every session, so they have the opportunity to work with everyone on the staff.

“The staff dynamic is probably one of the best parts of the job,” Biebighauser said.

Applicants for orientation leader fill out a form on OrgSync and sign up for a one-on-one interview with a member of the leadership team. Next, they participate in a group interview which includes a brief presentation.

Applications for orientation leaders close Friday at 11:45 p.m. Applicants will then go through a round of interviews and learn if they are selected in the next three to four weeks.

If selected, the student leaders hold their position from January through September 2018, plus one following week in January 2019. They divide their time between training and working the orientation sessions for next year’s incoming students.