Student Orientation 2022 – Preparing McCormick Students to Trust the Journey
10-01-2022
McCormick collaboratively reimagined what today’s student orientation can be – a time to build community and explore theological education as spiritual, relational, and vocational formation.
Out from under the restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic, McCormick students returned to the classroom this fall. But not before participating in a student orientation that offered time for self-discovery, and opportunities to start building a learning community.
“Coming to McCormick is not only an academic journey, it also is a formational one – spiritually, relationally, and vocationally,” says Rev. David Watkins, assistant dean of Student Services. “In reimagining student orientation, we wanted to share with students more of the formational aspects of theological education while also providing the logistical information they need to navigate the campus and access its resources.”
The redesign of student orientation became a collaborative effort with Rev. Watkins working with Dr. Stephanie Crumpton, associate professor, Practical Theology, Dr. Itihari Toure, associate dean, Curriculum and Evaluation, and other members of the faculty and staff.
“One of the things we wanted to see happen with student orientation was for it to be a space where we could start to place an emphasis on relationship building,” says Dr. Steed Davidson, dean of the faculty and vice president of Academic Affairs; professor of Hebrew Bible /Old Testament. “We wanted to create greater group cohesion and offer students a better sense of the challenges of graduate theological study.”
A two-part approach
Working with the technology and communications departments, Student Services delivered most of the general information about the seminary’s resources, requirements, and services using online, self-guided modules. Students were able to access these learning modules two weeks before coming on campus for the second part of orientation that was held in mid-August.
“With much of the general information taken care of online, our two-day, in-person orientation focused on experiences that could serve as resources for greater self-awareness and community building,” says Thehil Singh (MTS,’18) coordinator of student success, Student Services. “New and returning students participated in exercises that acknowledged and affirmed their life stories, and the experiences and vocations they were bringing to McCormick. Conversations about the integration of passion, strengths, vocation, and the needs of the world helped them think about all aspects of their lives...who they are as individuals…and as people who will serve the world.”
Building a student orientation curriculum for incarcerated students
McCormick’s Solidarity Building Initiative (SBI) Certificate program provides individuals, women and men, detained at the Cook County Department of Corrections, the opportunity to earn a certificate in theological reflection. This academic season also included a reimagined student orientation.
“That helped jumpstart our efforts around community building, an important part of our program,” says Jia Johnson, director, SBI. “It also demonstrated to students that we’re continually investing in them and their educational success.”
Johnson, and two members of SBI’s faculty, Dr. Ted Heibert, the Francis A. McGaw professor of Old Testament and dean of the faculty emeritus, and Thehil Singh, an SBI instructor, held a two-hour virtual orientation session with students who had enrolled in the certificate in theological reflection course. Along with team-building activities, students established community agreements to reimagine how their learning community operates.
“Student orientation was an opportunity for us to get to know seven new female students who are incarcerated,” says Johnson. “They enjoyed ice-breaker activities, participated in opening and closing meditations, and settled into reviewing the syllabus with us. A lot of excitement was generated during that couple of hours, and it will be exciting to see that energy transferred to the classroom in the weeks to come.”
Prepared for the learning experience
“I expected the efforts that were put into the new orientation program to become a meaningful experience for students, and they were,” says Dr. Davidson. “We aligned the orientation program with some of the broader initiatives at the seminary that are building on the strengths, experiences, and vocations of our students. Providing time at the beginning of the year for self-discovery and community building acknowledged that theological study includes opportunities for formation, both individually and as a learning community.”
Dr. Steed Davidson,
Dean of the Faculty and Vice President of Academic Affairs
Rev. David Watkins, Assistant Dean of Student Services
Jia Johnson,
Director
Solidarity Building Initiative