FINAL

RECOMMENDATIONS
Ryley Martins PROMISE Internship Final Report

Ryley Martin

martinry@oregonstate.edu | 206.450.9392
 Table of Contents

Summary 2
Example Module 1: Major Exploration. 4
Example Module 2: Test Taking. 7
Example Social Media Timeline 12
Current Communication Timeline (for reference). 21
Useful Contacts 23
Reflection. 24

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Summary
Over the summer I was tasked with working with representatives across Oregon State
Universitys College of Public Health and Human Sciences to develop recommendations for
communicating with First Year and Transfer Students to help better orient them to college life
at OSU, and to enrich interaction between advisors and students. After closely analyzing
current practices from our own college, other colleges within the university, and the university
at large use for communicating with students, I have recommended and multi-faceted,
coordinated approach to contacting students. A large problem that made itself evident initially
was the heavy reliance on and limited response to email communication with students. Along
with this, advisors were spending a lot of time answering more rudimentary questions, handling
logistics for registration, and running into repetitive issues with simple solutions. With these
core problems in mind, I decided to follow suite of many of the leading or online student-heavy
colleges on campus by integrating a learning management system(LMS) into the advising
process. The learning management system is an application that students are very familiar with
and interact with almost every day with for academic purposes, as most of their classes are
heavily supported by it. Referred to as Canvas, this LMS would serve as an excellent place to
store and organize files and information for students to explore on their own, as well as for
advisors to refer students to when those easy to solve problems arise. This was the biggest arm
of my recommendation, and required the most planning from an administrative side, with the
content either being continually updated, or all produced in advance and scheduled to release
or released all together. After meeting with several experienced colleagues within the
University including Technology Across the Campus and New Student Programs, it was decided
that it would be better that all the content be produced beforehand in order to limit the
propensity for confusion with students and the amount of time site related maintenance would
require. To help in the drafting of this content there are several examples within this report
that can both be used directly and as an outline for more content to be created from. Ideally a
comprehensive, well organized Canvas page would be added to all First Year and Transfer
Students homepage at the beginning of their first term with all the information loaded and
available from day 1. One worry that comes up with the use of LMS is whether or not students
will use it, with other students requiring interaction as a caveat to registering, and others just
making it available to those who will use it, there was a wide range of practices to use as a
model. What was pushed for most however was an incentive to use the program rather than a
punitive one, or one that would withhold registration or the ability to meet with an advisor
until it was complete. The incentive that I propose would be a chat feature where students will
have access to a private discussion board where they may ask a question with the guarantee it
will get answered within that day by a peer advisor. This will allow students to save a trip to the
advising office, get a quick response, and get to know their peer advisors. I believe this will
serve as a good incentive to all students especially when it is being recommended by advisors
and other school representatives. This feature, along with the agility inherent to having our
own site is why I recommend Canvas over simply supplementing the University website.
Overall, the LMS will hold a bank of resources that is well organized and specific to our colleges
entering students, the site will include personalized writing styles with easy to find links to all
applicable resources the campus has to offer. The next arm of communication I recommend
would be a social media presence, in todays times universities are leveraging the use of social

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media to get in front of the faces and into the hands of the new generation. By having wellness
challenges, weekly tips, and coordinated relevant messaging, the student population will be
engaged and excited to be a part of the college, and with peer advisors often serving as the
face, it boosts comfortability with the office of student success. This brings up another issue I
found when looking at some of the struggles of the office of student success, students were not
comfortable coming into the advising office for help. Whether it was from a lack of awareness
of resources or a feeling that they could go without, students were not walking through the
door as much as they could or should have been. By utilizing peers, and extending into
comfortable spaces, students will be empowered to take advantage of the many resources
offered to them. Overall, a social media presence that reinforces what the University and
College of Public Health and Human Sciences is communicating as well as connects with the
students will be an excellent supplement to current communication tactics university wide.
Ultimately, by establishing a well-organized and personalized landing page for first year and
transfer students and connecting them on a more personal level is the overall goal, with a goal
of comfortability of using the office being the intended impact.

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Example Module, Heavy on linking students to other resources. Shows how CANVAS can be
used to easily organize a lot of information onto 1 page.
MAJOR & CAREER EXPLORATION
Module Title: Explore your major and beyond
Module intention and focus: Provide information about the various majors within the college,
their options, and their application to the real world, this module should serve as a resource
both for advisors to refer to and to enrich conversations between advisors and students. It will
also link to useful OSU resources such as the Career Development Center, major listings,
Mydegrees, the Scheduler, and other CPHHS specific resources.
Module Contents
1) Major Exploration
Coming to university is a big transitionary time for every student, and with Public Health not in
everyones regular high school or general education, the specific majors and career paths within
our college can be very unfamiliar at first. For starters, the College of Public Health and Human
Science offers many opportunities to promote lifelong health and well-being and it can be split
up at the highest level into the School of Social and Behavioral Health Sciences, and the School
of Biological and Population Health Sciences.
School of Social and Behavioral Science
This school focus on understanding the determinants of health in population and how to
integrate better practices into existing health research and systems. The First major within the
school is Human Development and Family Sciences which gives students an interdisciplinary
education which will prepare you to connect individuals and populations to the critical
resources they need to improve their lives. The major offers three options that are broken
down by populations served and industries worked in, for more information on this visit the
major site here: Human Development and Family Sciences. The second major within this school
is Public Health. This major provides students with a diverse education in the basic functions of
public health from preventing disease to improving access and delivery of healthcare from local
to international levels. The major is split into two options, one that focuses on Health
Promotion and one that focuses on Management & Policy. For more information on the major
click here: Public Health
School Of Biological and Population Health Sciences
This school houses the traditionally science oriented undergraduate majors within our college,
and focuses on the application of innovative and effective in a range of different settings. One
of the two majors offered within the college is Kinesiology which will prepare students to
engage in physical fitness or wellness programming, training, or organization. Kinesiology also
offers a track program which will prepare you for more coursework in therapy or allied health,
for more information on this and the major in general visit this link: Kinesiology. The Other
major within this school is Nutrition, providing students an education in the science of nutrition,
and how dietetics affect individuals and populations. The major is broken down into options
based upon industry and job function, to learn more about these please visit the following link:
Nutrition.
Minors
Minors are an excellent way to add depth to your studies and make yourself more attractive as
an applicant, in fact many of the majors within our college suggest pairing a minor or certificate

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option to supplement your learning. The choice of what to major in can depend on what
matches best with your major, what your individual interests are, and/or what your career
aspirations are. For a general listings of minors offered at the university click here:
http://admissions.oregonstate.edu/alphabetical-list-undergraduate-majors#Minor_ugmajor,
however this is an excellent topic to discuss with your advisor as there can be many factors to
consider when adding a minor.

2) Major/Academic Planning
Once you decide on the major you would like to pursue, it is crucial you begin to plan the
subjects you will be taking and when. With all the pre-requisites, class restrictions, limited
seats, and complications that can ensue with registration, it is very important to plan out your
quarters well in advance to assure you will graduate on time with all the necessary credits
completed. This process is similar across all majors, and you can rely on multiple resources at
many points along the process to ensure your success. Planning can be broken down into long
term, and short term and includes the use of both static and interactive tools provided by the
university.
Option Sheets
The Starting place for every major is the option sheet, which covers all class requirements for
graduation within each major and highlights many of their restrictions. Option sheets will break
down classes into pre-core, core, supplement, option specific, and baccalaureate core. It is
important to note that some classes will come in series, meaning you will have to take them in
a certain order or at a certain standing level. These sheets are static pages simply listing all
credit requirements, and can be found here:
HDFS (general): option sheet
Child Development: option sheet
Human Services: option sheet
Public Health
Health Management & Policy: option sheet
Health Promotion & Health Behavior: option sheet
Kinesiology: Major sheet
Pre-Therapy and Allied Health: option sheet
Nutrition
Dietetics(including Pre-dietetics): option sheet
Nutrition & Health Sciences: option sheet
Nutrition & Foodservice Systems: option sheet
Scheduler
The scheduler is a very convenient way to plan the day and time of the classes you will be
immediately registering for the following term. With features that allow you to block off certain
portions of your own schedule, pick the classes you need then get custom options for
scheduling them, this is one of the best new resources students have for registering, and you
can fill your experiment as much as you want with classes as soon as the listings are available,
typically well before registration begins. This solution to short term academic planning will take
a lot of stress out of your registration process. For more on the scheduler and registration in

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general visit the registration tools box under the student tab of your myosu.oregonstate.edu
page.
Planner
Within the mydegrees program provided by OSU you will find a planner tab, this is an excellent
way to map out the rest of your terms at OSU. Paired with an option sheet, this is the preferred
way of completing the plan that your registration pin will sometimes be contingent upon. The
planner has functions that will notify you if you are leaving out classes required for the major, if
classes require previous series or other pre-requisites, and your credit-hour limit. This is the
best form of long them planning you can use and is especially effective in the later terms, when
you have freedom to take many classes. When you find yourself planning this point, it is an
excellent way to explore what careers to pursue, the academic programs cover a wide variety
of topics and each class often relates to a specific function of the degree. Explore the classes
you need to take and try to take the classes you are most interested earlier to confirm or deny
your passion for it. Mydegrees and the Planner tool can be found under the student tab on
your myosu.oregonstate.edu page.
3) Career Exploration
Once within your major, you will be able to experiment around with the various functions of
your area of study that translate into your career, or you might just be interested in what
exactly you can do once you earn your degree. There are many resources provided to you not
only to look for the right career path but to prepare you to follow it and connect you with
organizations across many industries. Before you jump into any of these opportunities,
however, its nice to do some research on where exactly your major can lead you, the options
may end up being more than you thought. The first place you can look for information like this
is the Career Development Center, which has a College of Public Health and Human Science
specific listings highlighting many of the possible career paths for every major in our college,
those listings can be found here: http://career.oregonstate.edu/students/career-major-
exploration/choosing-or-changing-major/what-can-i-do-my-major. Aside from these specific
listings, the CDC advises students in resume writing, interview prep and practice, and much
more, you can can access their general site here: http://career.oregonstate.edu/ .For more
information on careers, schedule an appointment with an advisor to talk about it!

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Example Module, Academic content enriching supplementing the advising/orientation
experience. Shows how canvas can be used to help all levels of need, students can drop into
the specific content they want, or read the whole article through

Module Title: Test Success

Module Intention and Focus: Enrich students learning and maximize success through in depth
test taking tips covering the before, during, and after of tests and quizzes in college. Will focus
on note taking, study guide prep, group studying strategies, test anxiety, guessing, getting
scored, getting feedback, retaking and saving your grade. Both new students and transfers will
find value in this as it will offer many OSU specific resources such as the ALA, Library, ASC, OSS,
etc. as well as acclimate them to OSUs specific testing procedures.
Module Contents
1) Pre-Test
Notes
Preparation for exams, no matter how big or small begins the moment you step into the
first class. This preparation is found entirely in what you are doing during class time, and
hopefully that is taking notes. Notes are an excellent way to summarize what is being taught
into your own words, remember things that may not have been included in lecture slides, or
even to write down that last minute this is definitely a test question topic that a Professor
may throw in at any point. To help you out a little bit, here are 5 note taking strategies to that
will lead to more success in test taking.
Start each class with a fresh page and label the top with the Class, Day, and time.
Develop a system of abbreviations you can remember
Ask your Proffesor if the slides are available online, this can take a lot of pressure off
of just trying to copy everything down on the screen
Review your notes on the same day the class happens helping to reiterate what you
just learned while its fresh in your mind
Write down any questions you have either while initially writing or going back over,
go to office hours or send an email to get them answered
For a more structured approach to taking notes, please refer to the Academics Success Centers
video on Cornell notes (ADVISOR CANVAS VIDEO)
Study Guide Prep
One of the best ways to prepare for a test is through making a study guide. Now this can be
made easier or harder depending on how specific your professor is in their syllabi, but a good
rule of thumb is to go off your most notes and assigned readings/work. Certain weeks, chapters
and concepts are often highlighted by your Professor, so if this is available start by pulling all of
your notes and work from these days and arranging them. If this information is not available,
you can absolutely ask your Professor for clarification and they will be able to point you in the
right direction. Once you have organized your materials it is best to begin reviewing them close
to a week before the testing date. Starting off this early will allow you to break the work into
chunks so it is less overwhelming at first, and then move on to reviewing more and more
information as you get closer to the test date. One excellent way to study for classes is in a
group of your peers. Students all have different strengths and weaknesses and can really

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benefit from a collaborative studying experience. Looking for a study group? Find one on the
discussion board here! (LINK TO DISCUSSION BOARDS FOR EACH CLASS)
Pre-test Review
There are many ways to study for exams. If you already have a system that works for you, that's
fantastic! If you're interested in some new ideas and tips, read on and we'll walk you through
some recommendations.
1. Review your syllabus for exam dates, proctoring requirements, points awarded (what
percentage of your class grade) and format (essay, multiple choice, etc.). If you are unclear on
any of these, reach out to your instructor or TA for clarification early. You'll want to make sure
they have enough time to respond, and you still have time to take action based on what you
hear back.
2. Develop a study plan for each exam. Determine what resources you'll need, how many
days/weeks you have to prepare, and about how much additional time you'll need to plan for
on top of weekly course requirements to fit in exam preparation. Check out the exam
preparation worksheet (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. and the 7 day study
plan (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. for some ideas on engaging with this
process.
* if you are using a proctor, make sure you know when to be at the location, how to get there,
where to park, where the building is located, what materials you can bring, etc.
3. Engage with the material in active and variable ways. This is an important part of the
memory and recall process. While reading and reviewing notes is important, incorporating
additional methods will help with retaining the information. You can create your own study
guide or outline if one isn't provided, create and use note cards, complete the practice
questions in your text book, and/or teach someone else about what you are learning. Review
the Active Studying worksheet (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. for some
ideas.
4. Organize a study group. Although you might not be in the same town as your classmates,
study groups are still an option! If you haven't yet, check out the student page on Google Apps
for OSU (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.. Google Hangouts (Links to an
external site.)Links to an external site. is a great option for holding virtual study sessions, and all
students can log in with their ONID email. Need some ideas on how to make the most of a
study group? Take some tips from the Academic Success Center on How to Conduct a
Successful Study Group. (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.
5. Take care of yourself! Managing stress, getting enough sleep, and other self care items go a
long way in exam performance. Pulling an "all-nighter" isn't likely to improve your test scores,
and isn't recommended. Check out our Ecampus Student Success blog post on Beating the
stresses of exams (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.written by our own Tom
Casey.
The video below take a more thorough look at test preparation, and discusses some ideas for
incorporating exam review into your daily study habits as an ongoing process.

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If you have an exam in the next day or two that you're feeling unprepared for, read over some
recommendations for Emergency Studying (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site..
Do your best, and think about how you can take a more proactive approach for your next exam.
2) Test Day
Test day can be nerve-racking for all of us, especially when transitioning to a new school with a
completely different style of testing. There are many things to keep in mind when gearing up
for the day of the test. And it all starts with a good nights rest. It is very important to get a full
nights worth of sleep so that you may perform to the best of your abilities. Another very
important element to testing is knowing exactly when in where the test takes place.
Oftentimes, especially for midterms and finals, test will be later in the day and in a larger
lecture hall that may be different from the normal meeting time and place. Make sure to check
the syllabus and pay attention the days leading up to the test for any notifications on testing
room location and time or changes to them. Next, make sure you have all the necessary
materials to take the test. Blue Books, Pencils, a calculator, and scantrons are all examples of
what you might need to bring to a test, and you can end up doing very poorly or even be unable
to take the test at all if you go without some of them. Your professor will make the expectations
very clear in the classes leading up to the test, so be sure to listen carefully. Lastly Test anxiety
is something that affects all of us, and coping with it is a skill that we all need to develop to not
only perform better on the test at hand but other high stress environments we face as students
and future employees. If it really is too much to handle, there is nothing wrong for asking for an
accommodation from a professor, just make sure to read the syllabus to find the appropriate
way to do so. Some will prefer and email, some an office visit, and others a moment before or
after class.
Review of Test Taking
Tests for online classes can look a number of different ways. You may have a computer based
exam that is open book, a proctored computer based exam, or (rarely) a proctored paper exam.
Now that you have studied and prepared thoroughly, we'll discuss some tips that may help
during the exam itself.
General Tips and Tricks
1.) Try to be well rested when you take your exam. We touched on this a little in the page on
test preparation. Getting enough sleep and enough to eat before your exam is crucial piece to
being at your best.
2.) Review the full exam when you begin. If your exam is on the computer, you may or may not
be able to navigate forward and back, but if it is an option take a moment to get a feel for the
exam and what you need to complete in the allotted time.
3.) Answer the questions you feel confident about first (again, if possible). These should take
you less time, and get you some initial points, so you can save time for those larger essays or
questions you may be less comfortable with.

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4.) Review your work before submitting the exam. Make sure you've read each question
carefully, answered each question completely, and you've paid special attention to multiple
choice and multiple answer questions (which can be tricky).
Multiple Choice Exams
1.) Don't rush through reading the question! These are often designed to make you really
think. Pay special attention to key words like "all, except, never, always, etc."
2.) Read the question and see if you know the answer before reading the choices. Does one
align most closely with what you were thinking?
3.) Narrow down distracting answers, and those that you know are incorrect.
4.) Look for clues in other questions. There may be a hint somewhere else in the test in the
wording of another question.
Essay Questions
1.) Structure your time and make sure you allot enough time to compose a well organized
response. If you have an hour and 4 questions, be mindful and try to allot no more than 15
minutes per question.
2.) Read through the questions (if possible) and start with those you're most comfortable
with. That may leave you with additional time for the ones you may struggle with.
3.) Make an outline if time permits. This assists you with making sure your answer is well
organized and complete.
4.) Use introductions, body, and conclusions as you would in a traditional essay. You'll want to
ensure you're meeting composure guidelines, including minimum word counts.
5.) Pay attention to spelling and grammar. When we are rushing, or a bit anxious, we are more
likely to omit or misspell words. Take your time if possible, and review answers before
submitting.
OSU TEST TAKING VIDEO

3) Post Test
One of the most nerve racking times can be between after you take the test and when the
results come back, and this length of time can vary anywhere between instantly and a couple of
weeks depending on a lot of factors. The first thing to keep in mind is that your professors have
a lot on their plates, and if they cant get to the grading immediately they will as soon as
possible. Especially for written tests and less formal multiple choice, it may take a long time to
sort through every students paper, grade them and make meaningful comments. Once you
have your results there are many possible roads to follow, the first being continuing the class
(for a midterm) or finishing the class (for a final), this would be the case if you performed
acceptable to your own standards. If, however, you were to get a grade lower than you had

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hoped, (dont worry, it happens to all of us) dont give up just yet! There are many options for
you moving forward. The first option, and this is especially pertinent if the previous test was a
mid term, would be to change your studying habits to avoid this type of performance in the
future. Another step one can take is to review the test in office hours with your professor. By
taking advantage of this time, you will be able to find out exactly what you got wrong and why,
and most likely gain some advice so you dont make that mistake in the future. In certain
situations, retakes or curves may be available to help you out, but thats at the discretion of the
instructor.
Post Test Review
Were your midterm or quiz results what you expected them to be? If yes, that's fantastic! If not,
that's OK too. A graded assessment is a fantastic study tool, and can be used to improve
performance in the remainder of the course.
Take some time to review your exam and think critically about your performance, and what you
can take away about opportunities for improvement. This is a good practice in refining your
growth mindset!

1.) Compare how well you did with how well you prepared. Did you allow enough study time,
or were you cramming the night before? What might you change about your study approach
next time?
2.) Evaluate your test answers. Are there any patterns in the questions you got correct, or
incorrect? Did the multiple choice trip you up, essay questions not what you planned for? Did
the questions align with the notes and study guides you were working from? Analyzing this will
help to set a more thoughtful study plan for next time, and identify content areas where you
may have been less prepared or confused.
3.) Consider how the exam grade impacts your overall course grade, and make a plan for the
remainder of the term. If you have a goal in mind to get a B overall, but earned a C or D on the
exam, what will you need to do in the next 5 weeks to recover?
4.) Review or solicit feedback from your professor. Did your instructor leave you feedback in
Canvas about your score? If yes, don't bypass that! Instructor feedback is one of the best tools
for performance improvement and shouldn't be ignored. If you have little or no feedback, set
up an appointment to speak with your instructor or TA. Some tips for those conversations are
provided in this module.

+RESOURCES FROM ADVISING

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Example Social Media Term Timeline
Social media timeline should be produced and managed by social media peer advisors,
content is simple, straight forward, and coordinates with General University and CPHHS
communication efforts as well as the Canvas site.

Focus and Intent: Engage students in the college of public health via social media outlets to
raise awareness for the schools mission, resources offered, and potential opportunities.
Fall Term: wellness challenge, academic reminders, and peer advisor tips every week. (tips
focus on college transition!
Week 1:
Monday: Weekly Wellness Challenge: Intro + challenge
Challenge is to download a pedometer and count steps, Peer advisors will give step
goals, as well as general information as to why this is a healthy behavior
Wednesday: Weekly Reminder: Read your syllabus
key information that is typically on syllabi can help you be successful for the entire term
to come.
Friday: Peer Advisor Tip of the Week
Make friends in classes! Having friends in classes is a way to get notes when your gone,
convince you to come to class when you feel like sleeping in, get help on homework, and
to form study groups for midterms and finals!
Week 2:
Monday: Weekly Wellness Challenge: A Balanced Diet
Challenge is to put an emphasis on the food you are eating, especially from UHDS, try
evening out your plate with some fruit or vegetables
Wednesday: Weekly Reminder: Adding/Dropping classes
Think youre in a little over your head or did that class you want just have a seat open
up? You can add or drop a class by following X link for more info, Deadline is soon!
Friday: Peer Advisor Tip of the Week
Snacking: bringing snacks like granola bars, trail mix, fruit, etc is an excellent way to
keep your body up and running throughout the day, stop by one of these campus
locations to grab one, throw it in your bag and your good for whenever!
Week 3:
Monday: Weekly Wellness Challenge: Stand
Challenge: STAND. Sitting down for too long, like when your studying or doing
homework, can be bad for your health, next time you find yourself sitting for a while, try
and take a break to stand up and walk around a little, youll feel a little recharged, and
your body will thank you down the road.
Wednesday: Weekly Reminder: Midterms
Midterms are coming up! Make sure you are getting all the studying in that you need to
and all your questions answered! Check out canvas for some awesome testing tips.
Friday: Peer Advisor Tip of the Week: Read the Signs
Posters are one of the main ways the school will advertise many of the resources and
events it will be offering, from weekly tutors on your availability, to an IM volleyball

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 team needing an extra player, or even free food somewhere, make sure you keep your
head up around dorms and on campus!
Week 4:
Monday: Weekly Wellness Challenge: Water
Drink up! It is recommended that you drink half your body weight in ounces of water
every day, can you keep up?
Wednesday: Weekly Reminders: S/U
S/U deadline is coming up, if youre really on the border for a grade and dont want it to
pull your gpa down, you can s/u it. This only works for certain classes, but can be a
lifesaver down the line!
Friday: Peer Advisor Tip of the Week
Need Help with anything? Take advantage of our first year and Transfer Canvas site. It
has all the resources you need to be successful in school!
Week 5
Monday: Weekly Wellness Challenge: STRESS!
With midterms in full swing the stress is definitely present. Here are a couple ways to
manage that stress. (different from 1st term but important to repeat)
Wednesday: Weekly Reminder: Check your Grades!
Its the halfway point! Go check your grades and make sure youre on track for success!
Friday: Peer Advisor Tip of the Week: Find your Floor!
Breakdown of the expectations of each floor on the library and encourage students to
pick one for studying purposes
Week 6
Monday: Weekly Wellness Challenge: Get Fit!
Get out on campus and use one of the excellent recreational facilities we have, from
basketball, to swimming, rockclimbing to weight lifting, pickleball, indoor soccer and
more, there are plenty of options to get fit in Corvallis!
Wednesday: weekly Reminder: Advising Appointments!
Make sure to schedule your advising appointment to get your pin! Take a look on your
first year/transfer canvas page for more info on preparing for your appointment!
Friday: Peer Advisor Tip of the Week: ExplOregon
Getting cramped up by the walls of your dorm or house? The Corvallis area has amazing
opportunities to get out and explore, bald hill, the covered bridge, marys peak, the
Willamette and more can keep you entertained, and serves as an excellent break from
your studies
Week 7
Monday: Weekly Wellness Challenge: Eat Right
Eating right doesnt just include filling your plate with healthy options. For this weeks
challenge, were trying to eat right on time, make sure your getting breakfast, lunch, and
dinner, and try to stay away from big meals close to bed time.
Wednesday Weekly Reminder: Registration
Registration is coming up! Make sure youve picked your classes and a few backups,
registration typically goes well, but you never know!

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Peer Advisor Tip of the Week: Grades
Now is an excellent time to get on top of your grades, with a couple weeks left you have
only have a few more chances to improve it, or to make sure it stays where its at.
Week 8
Monday: Weekly Wellness Challenge: Stairmaster
Its very easy to be lazy, especially for that 8 am class 2 floors up on linc that your late
for, but if you get the chance this week, try taking the stairs. That simple of an exercise
can improve your health and wellbeing!
Wednesday: Weekly Reminders Register for classes
Your all planned out, now its time to register! Use the scheduler or Visit the canvas site
for a how to video on registering, best of luck!
Friday Peer Advisor Tip of the Week: Get Out There!
OSU has great opportunities for clubs, research, internships and more, these things are
an excellent way to get connected for your future, and plan out your career once you
leave Oregon state. heres a link to some of our opportunities right now, check them out
and get involved!
Week 9
Monday: Weekly Wellness Challenge: Be Happy!
After 9 long weeks of working hard, its easy to feel down. If you find yourself in this
situation, there are many ways to try and turn your day around, such as going on a run,
talking to friends, or even just watching some TV. If you feel like you need a little more
help, the campus has some excellent resources for you!
Wednesday Weekly Reminder: End the Term Right
Make sure you are turning in all of those last assignments, polishing up any projects, and
getting ready to begin finals
Friday: Peer Advisor Tip of the Week: Break
Break is a great time to relax, see family and friends, and not think about school. Do
yourself a favor and figure out when you will be leaving and returning, your living
situation may only be available on certain dates over the break, and you dont want to
be scrambling and starting school in the same week
Week 10
Monday: weekly Wellness Challenge: Sleep!
A healthy amount of sleep will keep you energized, focused, and happier to take on the
day, make sure you are getting 7-8 hours a night! For more information on sleep, and
some of the work our dean is doing check out X link
Wednesday: weekly Reminder: Finals Week!
Double check your syllabus to find your finals date/time/location. These are often very
different than normal meeting times, and a crucial detail you know
Friday: Peer Advisor tip of the week: Finish Strong!
You made it! classes are almost done just a couple tests in the way from break! Put your
head down, study hard, sleep well, and finish strong!

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Winter Term (continue with same features, pro tips are centered around resources. Prizes
introduced if participation is low)
Week 1:
Monday: Weekly Wellness Challenge: Resolution Challenge
Visit Dixon/get physically active at least twice this week (possibility for prize?)
Wednesday: Weekly Reminder: Read your syllabus
key information that is typically on syllabi can help you be successful for the entire term
to come.
Friday: Peer Advisor Tip of the Week Get Ahead of the Winter Blues
keep yourself in mind as you move through the year, reach out to CAPS if you are feeling
down or need any help!
Week 2:
Monday: Weekly Wellness Challenge: Eat Breakfast!
Dont Miss the most important meal of the day! Eating breakfast is proven to give you
more energy throughout the day!
Wednesday: Weekly Reminder: Adding/Dropping classes
Think youre in a little over your head or did that class you want just have a seat open
up? You can add or drop a class by following X link for more info, Deadline is soon!
Friday: Peer Advisor Tip of the Week: Meet your ALA Today!
Looking at some daunting classes this winter term? There are free tutors in your dorms
to help you out! Feel free to ask a peer advisor when the next ALA visit will be near you
and never worry about a test again!
Week 3:
Monday: Weekly Wellness Challenge: Drink Water!
This is your termly reminder to drink more water! At least half your body weight in
ounces! Reusable water bottles are available in your dining halls! (CPHHS Water Bottle
Prize?)
Wednesday: Weekly Reminder: Midterms
Midterms are coming up! Make sure you are getting all the studying in that you need to
and all your questions answered! Check out canvas for some awesome testing tips.
Friday: Peer Advisor Tip of the Week: Cultural Centers
Cultural centers are excellent places to learn about the people they represent, issues
they face in todays world, and be provided with workshops and resources to anyone
who would like. And plus, FREE PRINTING!
Week 4:
Monday: Weekly Wellness Challenge: Set a Goal
Goal setting is an excellent way to ensuring something is getting done, and from simply
writing it down and taping it you your desk or planning it out step by step, its a good
exercise that will benefit you for years to come. This weeks challenge is to set a goal,
whether it be fitness, academic, personal, etc. set a goal and achieve it!

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Wednesday: Weekly Reminders: S/U
S/U deadline is coming up, if youre really on the border for a grade and dont want it to
pull your gpa down, you can s/u it. This only works for certain classes, but can be a
lifesaver down the line!
Friday: Peer Advisor Tip of the Week
Big midterm essay coming up? Go visit the writing center! They have excellent tutors
that will read over your essays with you as many times as you need to ensure your
finished product is truly your best work. Stop by the first floor of waldo to check them
out!
Week 5
Monday: Weekly Wellness Challenge: STRESS!
With midterms in full swing the stress is definitely present. Here are a couple ways to
manage that stress.
Wednesday: Weekly Reminder: Check your Grades!
Its the halfway point! Go check your grades and make sure youre on track for success!
Friday: Peer Advisor Tip of the Week: Office Hours
Week 6
Monday: Weekly Wellness Challenge: Find an outdoor activity!
Winter is in full swing and its a perfect time to get outside and take advantage of one of
the great scenery we have in the northwest, here are a couple places you can visit
around this time to get some exercise and decompress
Wednesday: weekly Reminder: Advising Appointments!
Make sure to schedule your advising appointment to get your pin! Take a look on your
first year/transfer canvas page for more info on preparing for your appointment!
Friday: Peer Advisor Tip of the Week: Scheduler
Use the scheduler to plan your classes out! Its new and gives you a personalized look at
what combination of classes best suits your preferences
Week 7
Monday: Weekly Wellness Challenge: get your greens!
Some of us love them, some of us dont, but this week our challenge is to eat veggies
with every meal, here are some good options around campus to keep your meals
healthy!
Wednesday Weekly Reminder: Registration
Registration is coming up! Make sure youve picked your classes and a few backups,
registration typically goes well, but you never know!
Peer Advisor Tip of the Week: career development center
Finding one of your classes especially interesting? Needing a job for the upcoming
summer? Visit the CDC for help on your resume, interviewing, applying to jobs and
more!
Week 8
Monday: Weekly Wellness Challenge: Stairmaster (duplicate, try to change the content from
term 1)

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 Its very easy to be lazy, especially for that 8 am class 2 floors up on linc that your late
for, but if you get the chance this week, try taking the stairs. That simple of an exercise
can improve your health and wellbeing!
Wednesday: Weekly Reminders Register for classes
Your all planned out, now its time to register! Use the scheduler or Visit the canvas site
for a how to video on registering, best of luck!
Friday Peer Advisor Tip of the Week: CAPS and Wellness Agents
Free life coaching? Say no more, CAPS has free life coaching available to students, as
well as a multitude of other counseling services to help you get through the day! For
more information, click here.
Week 9
Monday: Weekly Wellness Challenge: Sleep!
Sleeping is a habit, and just as important as 8 hours is that they are regular. Try tracking
your sleep this week and see if you can go to bed and wake up within 30 minutes of the
same starting and ending point each night
Wednesday Weekly Reminder: End the Term Right
Make sure you are turning in all of those last assignments, polishing up any projects, and
getting ready to begin finals
Friday: Peer Advisor Tip of the Week: Scholarships
Now is the time to submit your applications for scholarships! Schedule a meeting with
the writing center, meet with advisors, and do some research on what you can do to
secure some free money for next year and beyond
Week 10
Monday: weekly Wellness Challenge: Relax!
There may be a moment you find yourself stressed beyond belief and out of your wits,
and if you do, it might be time to stop, take a breath, and relax. Stress is one of the
worst aspects of college, and it can be crucial to step back from your work, here are a
couple methods to do that
Wednesday: weekly Reminder: Finals Week!
Double check your syllabus to find your finals date/time/location. These are often very
different than normal meeting times, and a crucial detail you know
Friday: Peer Advisor tip of the week: Finish Strong!
You made it! classes are almost done just a couple tests in the way from break! Put your
head down, study hard, sleep well, and finish strong!

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Spring Term (continue with same features, pro tips are centered around engagement
opportunities.)
Week 1:
Monday: Weekly Wellness Challenge: Bike Safety
As spring term comes around cars and bikes on campus start increasing, here are some
tips to stay safe when youre out there riding
Wednesday: Weekly Reminder: Read your syllabus
key information that is typically on syllabi can help you be successful for the entire term
to come.
Friday: Peer Advisor Tip of the Week: Spring Term Get Outside!
It is finally spring in Corvallis and one thing youll notice for sure, Where did all these
people come from, try and get out and take advantage of the great scenery and
landscape Corvallis has during this wonderful time
Week 2:
Monday: Weekly Wellness Challenge: Mile a Day
Through walking to class or running around campus, try and log at least a mile a day on
your feet!
Wednesday: Weekly Reminder: Adding/Dropping classes
Think youre in a little over your head or did that class you want just have a seat open
up? You can add or drop a class by following X link for more info, Deadline is soon!
Friday: Peer Advisor Tip of the Week: Clubs pt. 1
Visit our site to learn more about all the clubs our college has to offer
Week 3:
Monday: Weekly Wellness Challenge: 3 servings of fruits and veggies
Eating healthy is easy to do on campus, try and get three full servings of fruits and
veggies each day this week
Wednesday: Weekly Reminder: Midterms
Midterms are coming up! Make sure you are getting all the studying in that you need to
and all your questions answered! Check out canvas for some awesome testing tips.
Friday: Peer Advisor Tip of the Week: Clubs pt. 2
Here are the upcoming club meetings and the contacts for them, reach out and go to at
least 1!
Week 4:
Monday: Weekly Wellness Challenge: Replace soda/juice with water
Take a health alternative to your beverages this week!
Wednesday: Weekly Reminders: S/U
S/U deadline is coming up, if youre really on the border for a grade and dont want it to
pull your gpa down, you can s/u it. This only works for certain classes, but can be a
lifesaver down the line!

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Friday: Peer Advisor Tip of the Week
Research is an excellent way to learn more about what you are studying, by forming
relationships with professors and staying current with position listings, finding a
research opportunity can be easy!
Week 5
Monday: Weekly Wellness Challenge: STRESS!
With midterms in full swing the stress is definitely present. Here are a couple ways to
manage that stress.
Wednesday: Weekly Reminder: Check your Grades!
Its the halfway point! Go check your grades and make sure youre on track for success!
Friday: Peer Advisor Tip of the Week: Internships
Internships are an excellent way to spend your summer immersing yourself in your
studies, visit our career success page for more information on opportunities

Week 6
Monday: Weekly Wellness Challenge: Club
Were so serious were making it a challenge now, get out there and join a club!
Wednesday: weekly Reminder: Advising Appointments!
Make sure to schedule your advising appointment to get your pin! Take a look on your
first year/transfer canvas page for more info on preparing for your appointment!
Friday: Peer Advisor Tip of the Week: Baseball game
One of Oregon states staples is our dominant baseball team, try and make it out to a
game, tickets are free for us students!
Week 7
Monday: Weekly Wellness Challenge: Reflect
Take some time to look back on your experience so far and see where you are at, it is
always good to reflect upon your experiences and learn from your successes and failures
alike.
Wednesday Weekly Reminder: Registration
Registration is coming up! Make sure youve picked your classes and a few backups,
registration typically goes well, but you never know!
Peer Advisor Tip of the Week: Career Exploration
Start searching around canvas for the career opportunities we have in the college, you
might find your new dream job!
Week 8
Monday: Weekly Wellness Challenge: Wear Sunblock!
The sun is starting to shine and it is important to keep your skin protected! Make sure to
wear sunblock when you go outside
Wednesday: Weekly Reminders Register for classes
Your all planned out, now its time to register! Use the scheduler or Visit the canvas site
for a how to video on registering, best of luck!

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Friday Peer Advisor Tip of the Week: Living Next Year
If you havent already its important to secure a house, apartment or dorm for next year,
get with your friends/ future roommates and visit the housing fair/ look online
Week 9
Monday: Weekly Wellness Challenge: Sleep!
Looking at bright lights isnt the greatest before going to bed, try limiting your exposure
to your phone, tv, or computer directly before trying to fall asleep
Wednesday Weekly Reminder: End the Term Right
Make sure you are turning in all of those last assignments, polishing up any projects, and
getting ready to begin finals
Friday: Peer Advisor Tip of the Week:
Dam Jam is this week and this is your friendly reminder to be safe, drink water, and
enjoy your weekend!
Week 10
Monday: weekly Wellness Challenge: Connect with Friends before you leave
Make sure you have a means of staying in touch with everyone youve met this year,
youll want to stay in touch until you get back from break!
Wednesday: weekly Reminder: Finals Week!
Double check your syllabus to find your finals date/time/location. These are often very
different than normal meeting times, and a crucial detail you know
Friday: Peer Advisor tip of the week: Finish Strong!
You made it! classes are almost done just a couple tests in the way from break! Put your
head down, study hard, sleep well, and finish strong!

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 Current communication timeline for START and onboarding for Reference

College of Public Health & Human Sciences Communication Timeline

Mid-March to Pre-START
Communication Form: Email
Communication topics: Housing (Applying & Roommates), Paying ATD, START Registration, Math
Placement
Pre-START (one week prior to START)
Communication Form: Email
Communication Topics: Math Placement, Parking and Directions for START, Photo ID reminder,
Disability Accommodations, Appropriate Attire, Reservation Change Info. Housing FAQs

START Day 1 (General University)

Students
Welcome to Oregon State
Tips and Tricks/get to know you w/ start
leader
Plenary session highlighting the research
focus of our school, introduces the
blueprint, school is passion based with
career and future in mind, also a place to
be a better person beginning with the
end in mind
Rec night @ Dixon, game night @ Finley,
Social activities to meet other students
Parents
Welcome to Oregon State
Introduction to college life for a student,
parent is very key in relationship, support
child but let them push themselves
Lunch introducing to some of the facilities
and other parents
Introduction to various resources (CAPS,
Public Safety, SHS, UHDS)

START Day 2 (General University)

Students Parents
Administrative business such as checking Academic resources and student wellness
out, last chance change of major etc. presentation
Resource Fair, Optional tours and Academic planning session for parents
presentations of resources

START Day 1 (CPHHS Specific)

Communication Topics: Out There video, Research opportunities, experiential learning, volunteering,
club involvement. Also described different majors, what they study and how they differentiate/lead to
career paths. Resources within the college. More Detailed meeting with advisor

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 Start Day 2 (CPHHS specific)
Communication topics: First Advisor meeting to meet and talk about future plans and set classes.

One Week after START

Communication Form: Email
Communication topics: START assessment, Mydegrees, Advising Syllabus, Housing FAQs, OSU Guide,
Alcohol EDU, Haven, Diversity training, Welcome Week Teaser

August
Communication Form: Phone
Communication topics: Check-in, comfortability, housing, books, rent, parking, dining.

Mid-September
Communication Form: Email
Communication topics: Welcome Week Highlights, move-in info, Canvas Information, Reprint Schedule,
Parking Info, special transfer section

Late September
Communication Form: In Person
Communication topics: Welcome Week Check-In, Move-In, Hall Meetings, Introductions, Tools for
Success, Other teambuilding activities, Games, success strategies, college events, convocation, rally,
Community Fair, optional activities
Late November
Communication Form: Email, In Person
Communication topics: Registration, Pin, Class Planning

Late February
Communication Form: Email, In Person
Communication topics: Registration, Pin, Class Planning

Late May
Communication Form: Email, In Person
Communication topics: Registration, Pin, Class Planning

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Key Contacts
Andrea Nelson, Advisor, FYE Lead: Andrea.nelson@oregonstate.edu

Vicki Ebbeck, Dean of Student Success: vicki.ebbeck@oregonstate.edu

Alan Calvert, CPHHS Coordinator of Media and Social Media: alan.calvert@oregonstate.edu

Tasha Biesinger, Great help with Canvas and classroom Tech, Instructional Technologist:
tasha.biesinger@oregonstate.edu

Sarah Kyllo, Helped Create COE canvas, Advisor: Sarah.kyllo@oregonstate.edu

Jeff Malone, creates content that will be sent out by general university, a good contact for
coordination of messaging efforts: New Student Programs: Jeff.Malone@oregonstate.edu

Amy Riley, E-Campus, produces great content that I pulled much of my information from:
amy.riley@oregonstate.edu

Peer advisors will also be a great resource for producing content and ideas, especially for the
social media and other informal or personalized aspects of the project.

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Final Reflection
I had an amazing experience this summer participating in OSUs PROMISE Program, I was able
to successfully begin my transition into the professional workforce as well as develop my
identity as a young and diverse creator of change. Through my mentoring and real world
practice of critical thinking and problem solving I gained I am now confident in applying my
skills and experiences to a variety of different applications. I took this internship on instead of
pursuing a health related internship that would contribute to my degree in hopes of learning
how to translate my skills across departments and functions and it definitely paid off. Learning
how to work in an environment completely different from my own taught me to stretch my
creativity and experience as far as it would go, and allowed me to abstractly apply my passions
in a way that would benefit my work. From a perspective of personal/professional
development, I could not have asked for a better experience. Learning how my many identities
can be incorporated into the way I conduct myself within the workplace is a priceless lesson
that I believe is going to become more and more important with the current socio-political
climate in our nation. Refining a means to stand up for change and push my workforce towards
the future has become a big passion of mine, and something I see myself implementing in my
daily life immediately. Overall, I am honored to be able to take part in this experience, taking
away lifelong lessons that I hope to share with many of my friends and colleagues.

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