Nate Emmons’ first week at Oswego State consisted of working two days. Wonder why? I’ll give you two hints: February and Oswego.
That’s right, February 2007 brought ten feet of snow, but that didn’t deter Emmons from making the hour and ten-minute drive from Geneva every day, and we’re sure glad it didn’t.
Fast forward four and a half years, Nate Emmons, assistant dean of student affairs, has basically reconstructed the orientation programs that we all go through as freshmen.
Remember those Laker Leaders? The ones who ushered you around and guided you during orientation? Led you through ice breakers, introducing you to your first set of acquaintances, or maybe even friends at Oswego State?
Well, they weren’t always referred to as Laker Leaders. Four years ago, Laker Leaders were known as orientation leaders, but Emmons says he doesn’t hear that jargon used very often anymore.
“It’s kind of this idea of instilling pride, trying to bring a sense of being an Oswego State student and a Laker into our orientation process.” Emmons says.
Emmons challenged the school to take orientation more serious, moving it from a summer camp feel to more academically focused. He thought there needed to be more of a balance between the social and the academic aspects.
Emmons’ title is basically an umbrella for all he does here at Oswego State. He deals with new student transitions from the first time a student pays admissions all the way into the first six weeks of the semester, which includes the orientation programs over the summer.
“When we get to the actual programs themselves, my interactions can be much more face-to-face, much more personal,” Emmons says. “I’d rather be spending time with people than thinking about what new gadget we can throw at them, what is the next new impersonal video we can throw at them. I still think there is a high value in face-to-face contact and I think orientation allows us to do that, and I enjoy that piece.”
Emmons also prepares opening weekend events, teaches GST 100, a class designed to help freshmen transition from high school to college, GST 304, a class for first year peer advisement, and deals with The Laker, an online resource for freshmen and transfer students.
Emmons wishes that he had something like this as an undergrad at St. Lawrence.
“I wish someone had sat down with me and had a structure like that, that really challenged me to think about who I was and what I wanted to do,” Emmons says.
When Emmons first arrived in Oswego, he liked the growth of the campus. Emmons believes everything can keep improving – he doesn’t believe in keeping anything the same.
“I wouldn’t call myself a person who changes things for the sake of just change, but I’m incredibly motivated by believing we can always deliver something better,” Emmons says.
Along with the environment, Emmons loves working with the students.
“Orientation in and of itself is very demanding in terms of time and energy over the summer, but I enjoy the fact that we put forward such an excellent product and that we’re significantly impacting students by doing that,” Emmons says. “That’s really cool for me.”
Along with working with new students, Emmons also directs Show Choir, which is growing in popularity.
He first started show choir last year after some of the Laker Leaders expressed an interest in performing other shows like their Glee performance during opening weekend events.
“My wife says that I have a second job that I don’t get paid for,” Emmons jokes.
Emmons has a love for music, even though he is quite certain he can’t keep a beat. He thought that he could offer the students his expertise in stage production and his connections to colleagues and departments on campus.
“I have an insane passion for student success,” Emmons says. “The students I connect with, I have an insane desire for them to be successful.”
Emmons is always thinking about the future and what can be improved. He is currently thinking about the connections between the institution and the parental community. Along with developing an ongoing relationship with families, he believes there is also a lot of work to be done for transfer students.
“I really do want students to be successful,” Emmons says. “I think that there is a complexity in student life that students have today that I didn’t have years ago, and I’m forever challenged in thinking how we can best help students through those complexities of life. I guess for me, I’m hoping that I’m helping out in some small way.”
We’re certain he is.
Top photo: Emmons on far left, with Laker Leaders
Bottom photo: Emmons with sophomore Macy Mahony, elementary education major.