“Life is a succession of lessons which must be lived to be understood.”          -Ralph Waldo Emerson

 Welcome to NSO!

Watch a Video about NSO here!

Here’s the link to the academic catalog. 

Welcome to Lewis & Clark College! New Student Orientation (NSO) is a five day program designed to introduce you to the way we do things here at L&C. During NSO you will:

• Move into your residence hall room and get acquainted with your roommate/s and your Resident Advisor;
• Meet with a faculty mentor to discuss your academic interests and set a course for your academic career here;
• Complete your Fall semester course registration; and
• Participate in a variety of educational and social programs that will provide you with excellent opportunities to meet other new students, faculty, and staff members and provide you the tools and knowledge base that you need in preparation for the coming year.

Each year, New Student Orientation is coordinated by an upper division Lewis & Clark student who, with the help of some key administrators, spends the summer working on a program that will help you transition to your first semester at the college. Matthew Tratos, our Student Director of the 2012 NSO Program has already begun his planning efforts. Be sure to check the site often as it begins to take shape for the Fall 2012 NSO Program. 

Orientation begins on Wednesday, August 29 and continues through Sunday, September 2, 2012.

Your NSO experience officially begins with your arrival on campus! You will want to arrive early in the day on Wednesday and get settled into your residence hall keeping in mind that Orientation programming begins around 4pm that afternoon. We will have a full schedule of events planned that will acquaint you with the campus, the resources available to you as you begin the year, and most importantly connect you to faculty, staff and other students who can assist you in making this important transition.  Be sure to make your arrival plans with this in mind.  Please note that orientation for international students begins on Monday, August 27. Refer to the International Students page for more details.

If you are transferring to Lewis & Clark, there are a number of events highlighted in the orientation schedule specifically for you.  While we recognize that you have probably had a formal orientation at your previous institution, Lewis & Clark may do things a bit differently and we really want you to take advantage of New Student Orientation programs.

Since many of you will be accompanied by your parents when you arrive on campus in August, we have a program specially designed for them as well. Parents Preview begins on Wednesday evening, August 29 and concludes after dinner on Thursday, August 30.  Email invitations will be sent directly to your parents around the first of June. An overview of the program will be available on the Parents Preview Web site. Please pass this information along to your parents so they won’t feel left out of your excitement for L&C.

Please note that this Web page will continually change as new information becomes available. Check back for new information.

Student Leaders 2012

We have already hired a group of over 50 extraordinary students to operate as our Student Leaders for NSO 2012. There are two leadership teams this year: group leaders and management team leaders.  New students will attend orientation events in their orientation groups of about 20 students, and each group will have a group leader.  The management team members are the behind the scenes heroes, taking care of all of the logistical set up to keep our events running smoothly.  Both management and group leader teams will be trained and able to help you and your families with your transition to Lewis & Clark.  These student leaders are also a great resource for you over the summer. Very shortly, you will be able to review the list of awesome continuing students to lead you through NSO. 

NSO Summer Mailings

You will be receiving NSO mailings throughout the summer.  The GPS (Guide to Pioneer Success) is scheduled for mailing on May 18, 2012. This mailing will walk you through the summer registration process and give you a general overview of the Orientation program.  Then around the middle of July, you’ll receive the second installment of Orientation information.  Each time a mailing goes out, the information can also be found on the Summer Mailing Information page. Please hold on to all of the items that come to you in the mail as they will serve as resources in the preparation for your arrival throughout the summer. 

Guide to Pioneer Success for First Year Students

Guide to Pioneer Success for Transfer Students

 

Links 

FAQs: Check out the answers to all of the Frequently Asked Questions.

Arrival Information Page: Explains information regarding how to get to campus via car and the pick up schedule at the airport.

Summer Mailings Information: A schedule of all mailings being sent to your home this summer and links for all orientation mailing contents.

Transfer Student Information Page

Academic Calendar 2011-2012

Exploration & Discovery Registration

Computer and Technology Information: Provides links to the necessary information about the technology resources on campus

Useful Links: A list of useful links to on campus resources and interesting places and organizations in Portland.

What to Bring: A list of suggested items to pack.

Commuter Student Information Page: Information for Commuter students and a way to sign up for on campus housing during orientation.

Student Leader Home Page

Financial Information

WebAdvisor

Registrar

Majors to Start the First Semester in College

Quantitative Reasoning Exam

Foreign Language Placement Exams

Spanish Placement Exam

French Placement Exam

German Placement Exam

Questions about NSO?

If you have any questions about NSO you may reach out to Sandi Bottemiller, Director of Housing & Orientation at 503-768-7183 or by email at nso@lclark.edu.  Once you begin receiving communication from NSO, you’ll be able to be in direct contact with the Student Director of NSO, Matthew Tratos.

Commuter Students