New Student Orientation

We dance like crazy, we yell at the top of our lungs, and we sing ‘til our voices are gone. And, no, we’re not international pop stars à la Britney Spears, but Georgetown’s New Student Orientation advisors. At the start of my freshman year, I arrived on Georgetown’s campus anxious, excited, and somewhat appalled by my parent’s undoubtedly fashionable minivan. Yet, as soon as we drove through the front gates, a group of overly enthusiastic students started banging on our car, chanting “Hoya Saxa!” as I, the frightened freshman, entered Georgetown for the first time. Rather than reaching the normal conclusion of “these people are crazy,” I knew immediately what to say: “I WANT IN.”

And so I later joined what would become my favorite activity at Georgetown, the New Student Orientation program. We work hard to ease new students’ entrance into university life, acting not just as crazed cheerleaders (see above), but providing the support necessary for that first-time transition. “My freshmen,” as I affectionately call them, remain in touch with me throughout the school year because, really, the college transition doesn’t end after a single Orientation week. We have dinners together, grab coffee, keep each other updated on our lives, and inevitably run into each other in the library. Maybe it’s because I’m in the middle of finals that the last point particularly rings true! Yet, even more than just providing support for our students, Orientation Advisors provide support for each other as we work through the gruelingly long days. But I never seem to mind the lack of sleep because Orientation Season truly is my favorite time of year. I’ve made many friends through the Orientation Program, and gotten to know people I likely never would have met otherwise. To expand beyond my comfort zone, to truly get involved in my school, is what I like most about Georgetown – and NSO provides just that.

Berkley Braden

COL '11

Norfolk, VA

Dance

Most people aren’t aware of this, but there is a dance studio on the backside of New South. Even more people are unaware that this is where I spend a huge amount of my time and that it is one of my favorite places to be, even if it is 2 a.m. on a weekend night. I am a member of the Georgetown University Dance Company, one of the many student dance groups on campus When I first applied to Georgetown, I knew I wanted to continue dancing, but it was a real struggle to find what options were available to me. When thinking of the things that Georgetown is known for, the performing arts are not the first thing that comes to mind.

Regardless of the daily difficulties that we members of the arts community face with the growth of the Department of Performing Arts and perhaps of what we perceive to be the priorities of the university, we are here and we are thriving. Over a third of the campus participates in the performing arts in one way or another, whether as a member of one of the many a capella groups, a lighting technician for a show put on by one of the theater groups, or simply going to support friends who are performing. There is a true and increasing appreciation for the arts and I find that the university is at a point where the interest is becoming a definitive aspect of student life on campus. Not only do we use the arts as a means of expression, but also we use them as a way to express our identity as a community. Where else is a South Asian dance exhibition one of the most popular events of the year? Or one of the a capella groups dedicated to the performance of multicultural music? The possibilities are endless here at Georgetown, and I find that the arts here are a great avenue to pursue them.

Lane Feler
SFS '12
Memphis, TN

Getting Involved

Whenever asked about what I love the most about Georgetown, I always make the same points. Though I praise the university’s great location, its Jesuit tradition, and, of course, the basketball team, I find myself coming back to a singular argument – Georgetown students are unlike any other. Only at Georgetown can I find classmates running a multi-million dollar organization like the Credit Union, starting their own businesses such as Compass Partners, and even saving lives with GERMS. And as a student, nothing excited me more than joining an on-campus organization that not only demonstrated the initiative of students but also bettered the on-campus community. That said, The Corp and its mission statement of “Students Serving Students” were especially appealing to me when I applied to work for the company’s IT + Marketing department.

Students of Georgetown, Inc., which is also known affectionately to Georgetown students as The Corp, is a non-profit company that has annual revenues in excess of $4 million and has 3 different coffee shops as well as 2 convenience stores on campus. What’s truly amazing about The Corp is that it is entirely student-run, meaning that there isn’t any adult supervision. The company is made up of over 200 undergrads, and students have the ability to work their way up from being a cashier to becoming the CEO of the entire company. Regardless of your position within the company, you have the unique opportunity to contribute meaningfully to The Corp’s success and get paid while you’re doing it too.

Working for The Corp has been an invaluable experience that has deeply enriched my college experience. Ever since I began working, I have developed both a myriad of technical skills. In the IT + Marketing department, I have been able express my creativity by designing ads that promote the company’s storefronts and philanthropic efforts as well as showcase my technical abilities by working on various IT projects. However and more importantly, The Corp is a great social outlet. With a number of various activities and events outside of work, The Corp has made it easy for me to meet a number of people and develop life-long friendships. Since being hired, I consider the people that I work closely with on a day-to-day basis also as my closest friends.

Regardless of which organization you choose to join, you’ll find people with like-minded interests and meet some of your closest friends. Whatever you’re interested in, you’ll find it on the Hilltop!

Patrick Go
MSB '11
Redwood, CA

Political Involvement

Georgetown students are well known for their political involvement, so it comes as no surprise that many students got involved in last year’s presidential election. I remember waking up early every Saturday morning to go over to Virginia and make phone calls to voters in the state. I even went on a trip to Pennsylvania with a group from the DC Federation of College Republicans for four days of door knocking and phone banking. It was a great time because I got to go campaigning, which is one of my favorite things to do, but I also was able to make many new friends from both Georgetown and other schools in the District.

My favorite memory from the election season was an event that the Georgetown College Republicans, College Democrats, and the Lecture Fund co-hosted called the Young Voter’s Forum. This event, held in historic Gaston Hall—where Presidents Clinton and Obama have spoken—had the place entirely filled with students who came to hear a debate between two surrogates of the campaigns. Representative Heather Wilson of New Mexico debated on behalf of John McCain and Representative Artur Davis debated on behalf of Barack Obama. The forum included both student and professional panelists (most of which were alumni), and showed how politically involved Georgetown students are. Regardless of who people supported, or how the forum went, it was just amazing to see so many college students, who are typically seen as politically apathetic, give up a few hours on a school night and get involved in the electoral process. That night I knew that Georgetown is where I belong.

Geoffrey Bible
SFS ‘12
St. Cloud, MN

Working for the Students of Georgetown, Inc. (The Corp)

I knew when I was applying to college I wanted to work where ever I ended up attending and I had no idea what kind of student job I might find. Then, I found The Corp. Pronounced with the p and short for corporation, The Corp is the largest entirely student run corporation in the United States. Everyone from the cashiers to the CEO is a student. Imagine being CEO of a multimillion-dollar company by the age of 21, and that is exactly what The Corp embodies. The Corp owns and operates three on-campus coffee shops (Midnight Mug, Uncommon Grounds, and Mug), one convince store (Hoya Snaxa), one grocery store (Vital Vittles), and one catering department. Along with these external services The Corp has two internal departments, IT/Marketing and Accounting.

The Corp’s mission of “Students serving Student” makes our non-profit organization unique. We offer lower prices in our stores to help make goods affordable for students, provide shuttles to nearby airports during holiday breaks, and offer student storage during the summer. Furthermore, our philanthropy board gives back all of our profits each year. Last year the Corp gave over $35,000 back to the Georgetown community in the form of scholarships, event sponsorship, and community events.

I was hired to Vital Vittles spring of my freshman year along with three other “new hires.” Over the past year I have truly made some of my best friends at Georgetown through Vittles and the Corp. Each semester The Corp hosts a night of employee appreciation for all 200 of their employees, which was held this past Wednesday. I look forward to this event every semester, as it is one of the few times the entire Corp celebrates together. I can’t wait for many more semesters of fun and to see where my path in the Corp will lead me. For more information about the Corp or applying please feel free to email me at esm43@georgetown.edu or visit http://www.thecorp.org/.

Corp love,

Elise McKenna
MSB 2010
Overland Park, Kansas