Guidebook Meets: Seattle University Balances Virtual and In-Person Orientation for Diverse Student Populations
Join us on March 1, 2025 for Guidebook Meets: Seattle University Balances Virtual and In-Person Orientation for Diverse Student Populations.
Navigating the post-pandemic landscape of higher education means constantly rethinking what orientation looks like. Seattle University's orientation team manages this complexity across quarterly enrollment cycles, serving everyone from first-generation students to commuters to transfer students—all while honoring their Jesuit commitment to sustainability and ensuring no printed schedule ever hits the recycling bin.
In this 55-minute webinar, Nicholas Cubita, Director of Orientation Programs at Seattle University, shares strategies for evolving orientation in a post-pandemic landscape.
Seattle University's Student Population By the Numbers:
• 1,000 first-year students and 300 transfer students enrolled each fall
• 30–40% first-generation students requiring specialized onboarding support
• 50% BIPOC students representing a significant demographic shift
• 20% commuter students needing different resources than residential students
What You'll Learn:
Post-Pandemic Evolution: Returning to In-Person Orientation
How Seattle University transitioned from fully virtual orientation (2020–2022) back to in-person summer programming in 2024, decreased enrollment melt by several percentage points, and maintained virtual accessibility alongside in-person sessions.
Quarterly Orientation Model: Serving Year-Round Enrollment
Operating on a quarter system requiring fall, winter, spring, and summer orientation cycles, plus running the Ignite First-Year Leadership Program to extend orientation beyond the traditional timeframe.
Diverse Student Support: Meeting Varied Demographic Needs
Supporting 30–35% Pell-eligible students, partnering with the Mosaic Center for BIPOC student-specific sessions, creating Commuter Connections Family Kickoff events, and ensuring all identity groups feel included.
Technology and Sustainability: Mobile-First Approach
Eliminating printed schedules entirely, aligning with the campus-wide Laudato Si' Action Platform, spending less on Guidebook than previous printing costs, and making instant schedule updates without reprinting materials.
Student Input and Iteration: Building with Feedback
Engaging 40–45 orientation leaders as a sounding board, conducting session-by-session debriefs, collecting post-event surveys, and making real-time adjustments based on what lands with students.
Schedule Organization: Reducing Information Overload
Chunking resources into categorized lists, streamlining group meeting times, using clear labeling for required sessions, and creating separate parent/family tracks.
Personalization and Choice: Choose-Your-Own-Adventure Programming
Structuring 80–90% of the in-person schedule while building in rotation and fair options, offering targeted sessions, and using Slate logic to send personalized messages to specific student populations.
Real Results from Seattle University's Orientation Evolution:
• Several percentage point decrease in enrollment melt after returning to in-person orientation
• Complete elimination of printed schedules saving more than the annual Guidebook contract cost
• 80%+ app adoption rate before students arrive on campus
• 850 student participation in class photo tradition (up from 200 the first year)
• Cross-generational satisfaction with the mobile app from Gen Z students to Boomer families
Who Should Watch This Webinar:
• University orientation directors managing quarterly or trimester enrollment systems
• Student affairs professionals supporting first-generation and commuter student populations
• Orientation teams balancing virtual accessibility with in-person connection opportunities
• Higher education leaders committed to sustainability and paperless operations
• Campus program coordinators seeking student input for continuous improvement
Featured Speaker:
Nicholas Cubita is the Director of Orientation Programs at Seattle University, where he recently completed his third year in the role. A Seattle U graduate student alum who earned his master's degree on campus, he returned to lead orientation through post-pandemic transitions including the return to in-person programming in 2024. He oversees traditional summer/fall orientation, quarterly programs for winter/spring/summer cohorts, and the Ignite First-Year Leadership Program for continued first-year engagement.
Register now to learn how Seattle University is reimagining orientation for today's diverse student populations.
Navigating the post-pandemic landscape of higher education means constantly rethinking what orientation looks like. Seattle University's orientation team manages this complexity across quarterly enrollment cycles, serving everyone from first-generation students to commuters to transfer students—all while honoring their Jesuit commitment to sustainability and ensuring no printed schedule ever hits the recycling bin.
In this 55-minute webinar, Nicholas Cubita, Director of Orientation Programs at Seattle University, shares strategies for evolving orientation in a post-pandemic landscape.
Seattle University's Student Population By the Numbers:
• 1,000 first-year students and 300 transfer students enrolled each fall
• 30–40% first-generation students requiring specialized onboarding support
• 50% BIPOC students representing a significant demographic shift
• 20% commuter students needing different resources than residential students
What You'll Learn:
Post-Pandemic Evolution: Returning to In-Person Orientation
How Seattle University transitioned from fully virtual orientation (2020–2022) back to in-person summer programming in 2024, decreased enrollment melt by several percentage points, and maintained virtual accessibility alongside in-person sessions.
Quarterly Orientation Model: Serving Year-Round Enrollment
Operating on a quarter system requiring fall, winter, spring, and summer orientation cycles, plus running the Ignite First-Year Leadership Program to extend orientation beyond the traditional timeframe.
Diverse Student Support: Meeting Varied Demographic Needs
Supporting 30–35% Pell-eligible students, partnering with the Mosaic Center for BIPOC student-specific sessions, creating Commuter Connections Family Kickoff events, and ensuring all identity groups feel included.
Technology and Sustainability: Mobile-First Approach
Eliminating printed schedules entirely, aligning with the campus-wide Laudato Si' Action Platform, spending less on Guidebook than previous printing costs, and making instant schedule updates without reprinting materials.
Student Input and Iteration: Building with Feedback
Engaging 40–45 orientation leaders as a sounding board, conducting session-by-session debriefs, collecting post-event surveys, and making real-time adjustments based on what lands with students.
Schedule Organization: Reducing Information Overload
Chunking resources into categorized lists, streamlining group meeting times, using clear labeling for required sessions, and creating separate parent/family tracks.
Personalization and Choice: Choose-Your-Own-Adventure Programming
Structuring 80–90% of the in-person schedule while building in rotation and fair options, offering targeted sessions, and using Slate logic to send personalized messages to specific student populations.
Real Results from Seattle University's Orientation Evolution:
• Several percentage point decrease in enrollment melt after returning to in-person orientation
• Complete elimination of printed schedules saving more than the annual Guidebook contract cost
• 80%+ app adoption rate before students arrive on campus
• 850 student participation in class photo tradition (up from 200 the first year)
• Cross-generational satisfaction with the mobile app from Gen Z students to Boomer families
Who Should Watch This Webinar:
• University orientation directors managing quarterly or trimester enrollment systems
• Student affairs professionals supporting first-generation and commuter student populations
• Orientation teams balancing virtual accessibility with in-person connection opportunities
• Higher education leaders committed to sustainability and paperless operations
• Campus program coordinators seeking student input for continuous improvement
Featured Speaker:
Nicholas Cubita is the Director of Orientation Programs at Seattle University, where he recently completed his third year in the role. A Seattle U graduate student alum who earned his master's degree on campus, he returned to lead orientation through post-pandemic transitions including the return to in-person programming in 2024. He oversees traditional summer/fall orientation, quarterly programs for winter/spring/summer cohorts, and the Ignite First-Year Leadership Program for continued first-year engagement.
Register now to learn how Seattle University is reimagining orientation for today's diverse student populations.
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