As fall semester begins to wrap up, Ohio University has already begun preparing itself for next year’s incoming class, hosting the third and last Ohio Discovery Day of the semester.
The program, which is organized and funded by OU admissions, attracted over 2,000 participants on Saturday.
“Discovery Days are really wonderful because they offer students more than just a campus tour and information session,” said senior Evan Meles, tour guide coordinator.
Families had the opportunity to take a guided tour of campus, attend a university information session and an academic information session pertaining to the student’s desired field of study, said Candace Boeninger, assistant vice provost for Enrollment Management and director of Undergraduate Admissions.
“The Ohio Discovery Day program is different in that we package the format of the program into an open house,” she said.
Meles, who’s worked the event for three years, said the format has seen little change because of the attendees’ positive feedback
Boeninger said a key effort made for each Discovery Day is reserving OU President Roderick McDavis as its keynote speaker for the main information session — something not always possible because of his busy schedule.
“It's really important and very meaningful that Dr. McDavis takes the time to come and deliver his remarks to our prospective students and their families,” she said. “They notice that the university's president is interested enough in the lives of the freshmen, even before the freshmen are here, (to come) share his personal perspective.”
In addition to McDavis’ presence on Saturday, the group also had the opportunity to see all of the student organizations and groups on campus through a resource fair among other events held.
“There were a lot of helpful people," said Keir Leatherman, a high school senior from Defiance, Ohio. “(Discovery Day) was very informative and well-run.”
Hunter Anderson, a high school senior from Montveil, New Jersey, said he was happy with the size of OU, enjoying his visit.
“I was looking for a big state school, and I love the campus; it’s beautiful,” he said.
Regardless of what families liked best from Saturday, Boeninger said Discovery Days give families a sense of “the vibe and the pulse that is Ohio University.”
“This is the kind of place where students can come and bring whoever they are and transform into the best vision of themselves,” she said. “I think families sense that when they're here.”
kf398711@ohiou.edu
