What new student isn’t feeling a bit lost when trying to adjust to college life? To help with the transition, the College of Engineering Information Technology (COE IT) team organizes an annual group seminar for first-year and transfer students to get their computers ready for the school year.

At the start of fall term, roughly 180 students gathered every hour to learn about computer security, installing essential programs, and even scheduling first-year advising appointments.

“Our COE IT team looks forward every fall to helping our first-year and transfer students get their laptops configured and attached to the OSU wifi network,” said Todd Shechter, the college’s director of information technology. “This is a unique opportunity for them to be prepared for the start of classes.”

Since each engineering student is required to have a laptop, security is a critical component to the college’s IT efforts. Dozens of student volunteers assisted to ensure all 1,386 incoming students met security requirements for the 2013-2014 school year.

Speaking of the school year, the IT team helps with that as well! In addition to providing valuable technology resources, the team stresses the importance of staying organized by subscribing to the Engineering Events Calendar, which alerts students of important upcoming dates.

By attending the seminar at the beginning of every year, students get specialized, hands-on assistance and build a solid foundation for the rest of their time at Oregon State. And they might not feel so lost after all.

–Aynsley Eggen