July 30, 2014 For Immediate Release

Sarah Bowman of Taylorsville, Ky. poses with Clawz, the CU mascot, at LINC. (Campbellsville
University Photo by Brittney Casey)

By Joan C. McKinney, news and publications coordinator, and Samantha Stevenson, student news writer

CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. - Campbellsville University's last two-day LINC freshman orientation session of the summer is Friday and Saturday, Aug. 1 and 2.

Learn. Invest. Navigate. Connect. These are the four primary goals of the LINC freshmen orientation sessions, which have taken place once each month of the summer.

The last session, held July 11-12, featured over 160 incoming students, making it the largest so far this summer. About 523 students will have come through LINC after this week's session.

LINC takes place over the course of two days in which students get virtually everything they need to start their new life at CU. In addition to receiving their housing assignments, parking passes and identification cards, they also get to meet some of the many faces who will contribute to their CU experience.

Students have the opportunity to get to know their peers and their campus by a variety of different games and activities, and over the course of three-four large group sessions.

They also meet their advisors and future classmates for the first time to schedule classes for the fall semester.
Tammy McWhorter, a clinical associate for the CU Office of Counseling Services who serves as coordinator of new student orientation, said LINC is a team effort.

“I am very grateful to our LINC team, along with all the coaches, staff and faculty, who have made all of our LINCs successful,” she said.

Marcus Rodgers, a junior from Campbellsville, is one of 24 students who serve on the LINC staff. The LINC staff assists students and their families through the entire orientation process from check in to scheduling classes.
Rodgers said the last LINC was his personal favorite. “I just felt that this particular LINC ran the smoothest and most effective,” he said.

Rodgers, whose job is to take identification pictures of the students, said the LINC goal is to “provide helpful information to all participants to help ease the transition into their college career while keeping a laid back atmosphere to calm the nerves of all students and parents.

“I felt the last LINC did this in a very effective manner.”

Rodgers said he enjoys LINC and takes pride in working for the LINC program because “we are the first official group to welcome and show off our university and the Christian atmosphere that CU proudly stands for.”

Rodgers also serves on a parent panel, which consists of six LINC workers that sit onstage and answer questions from parents during a question and answer portion of the program that is specifically for parents.

He also works with Kevin Propes, assistant dean of academic support, to advise students with scheduling their classes for the semester.

“I hear very positive feedback from the students and parents about LINC helping to inform them about the start of their college career and also ease the stress and anxiety due to a very welcoming staff,” Rodgers said.

Rodgers also works as a student intern in the Office of Admissions, and said, “It is very rewarding to see familiar faces filter through the LINC programs knowing that I worked with those same students the last several months by emails, phone calls and mainly by giving hundreds of campus tours.”

LINC is the first chance that many of the incoming freshmen experience what CU has to offer. They get an opportunity to stay in the on-campus housing, eat in Winters Dining Hall and schedule classes in or around their respective classroom buildings.

“I find a lot of joy by seeing hundreds of students choosing to come to CU and be a part of a strong Christ-centered institute. This will open many doors to allow everyone at CU to pour into their lives allowing them to grow in spiritual, educational and social ways. And the LINC orientation is the very start to that journey,” Rodgers said.

“We are so excited to see what the Lord is going to do for all the incoming students this fall!” McWhorter said. “It is a blessing to be able to help the students get acquainted with their ‘home away from home.'”

Campbellsville University is a widely acclaimed Kentucky-based Christian university with more than 3,600 students offering 63 undergraduate options, 17 master's degrees, five postgraduate areas and eight pre-professional programs. The website for complete information is campbellsville.edu.