The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
FAIRS GET STUDENTS READY
Express Registration Fairs prepare for spring semester at LCCC
For college students, winter breaks are winding down as they get ready to head back to campus for their spring semesters to begin. To get new and returning students back into gear for the new year, Lorain County Community College, 1005 N. Abbe Rd. in Elyria, welcomed all to their Express Registration Fair, Jan. 6.
Spring Semester for students at LCCC begin the day after Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Jan. 16, and were invited to attend the fair on three separate days that are best suitable for them.
During these fairs, such as the one on Jan. 6, anyone who attends is encouraged to start their registration process and get ready for the spring semester, Stephanie M. Sutton, associate provost of the school said. Offering an orientation of the campus, helping potential students apply for admission, take
“These fairs are great because some students might get everything done in one day.”
— Stephanie M. Sutton
an accuplacer exam that will help determine skills in academics, plus more that can help get a new or returning student register for classes and get ready for the semester, is offered at the fairs, she said.
With the event falling on a Saturday, Sutton said the college normally doesn’t stay open for the public on those days. However, before each semester begins, she said they like to be open two Saturdays ahead in order to give students more availability to sign up and get them on board for classes.
“These fairs are great because some students might get everything done in one day,” she said. “Or, it’ll start process to get them on the way to start our spring semester session.”
Because this event is more geared toward new students, Sutton said orientation will benefit them in making their time at LCCC successful. Orientation tells the potential students information about the campus and setting them up for their email and MyCampus accounts for better communication and registration within the campus, she said. Orientation shares how students can use the tools they are given at LCCC to become familiar and comfortable students, she added.
Sutton said she noticed students who attend the fair are one’s who went away to four-year schools and decide to come back. She also noticed some students attend because it’s their New Year’s resolutions with starting new or continuing back from where they left off she said.
“Our goal is to welcome them and create an environment where (students) can help themselves to get that done according to there schedule and times,” she said.
Felicia Mitcheff, career and academic advisement professional lead the event and its orientation. She said it was a great turnout with students learning new things, registering for classes and new students beginning a college career at the campus.
During the fair, parents are welcome with their children to learn and help get involved. Mitcheff said the parents and students get involved together. At the start
of the orientation and tour process, she sees where all students stand with their interests and helps them decide the careers they wish to follow. Mitcheff said she enjoys when she helps returning students get ready for the semester, as well as students who are new and want to go through all steps to apply as a student. During the Jan. 6 event, she said there was a guest that went through all the steps of becoming a new student after coming to the fair as simply an interest.
With a new student, she said she would have them apply and participate in financial literacy to work with a member of financial services and asks any questions they may have with setting up their Financial Aid. Next, a student would have to take an accuplacer, for no longer than 30 minutes, if they haven’t taken one before. Once an accuplacer is taken, the student registers with an advisor to plan what courses they want to take toward their career goals and lastly receive their Student ID’s to become official, she said.
“It’s one of those relieving things where they have their student ID, then they are just like ‘I’m done, I just have to get my books now,’” Mitcheff said.
The fairs offer the opportunity for students to get together and can catch any questions or mistakes they have ahead of time, before the semester begins, she said.
“These types of things are important to have in the beginning and so early on because they now know need to fix it,” she said. “Versus if it never happened and (they) would have not been ready for the school year.”
Sutton said that during the event, people are welcome to come in at anytime throughout the sessions and are able to do the orientation online if they aren’t able to make it. With the fair, staff really tries to support students who are ready to start back and get them ready to succeed before they start for the spring semester, she said.
The next Express Registration Fair will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Jan. 11 in the LC building, room 115. Guests are encouraged to meet in the Enrollment Services lobby on the first floor of the Bass Library building for all sessions.
For any questions, call Felicia Mitcheff at 440-3664818