Transitioning from high school to college is difficult, especially for out-of-state students, but the University’s STRIPES program tries to lighten the load.
The LSU First Year Experience Office allows incoming freshman to participate in STRIPES, a program created to help students learn about the campus as well as meet other first timers.
The program started in 2000 and continues to grow in its 17th year.
Small group leader Jillian Davis said when she started three years ago there were about 300 students per session, but it has increased since. She said she has also seen the numbers in staff grow as well, from 40 to 60.
The program lasts four days and three nights and takes place on campus with students staying in the residential dorms for the span of the program.
“My favorite part is probably the transformation from day one to day four,” Davis said. “The students come in and they’re typically really nervous, anxious and really don’t know what to expect. By the end they’ve formed new friendships with their group members, with their small group leaders, and other students that they’ve met at the program.”
According to the LSU STRIPES website, “students learn what it really means to be a Tiger.”
Students learn about the history and traditions of campus, such as the chants at football games. They even visit the LSU Tiger Stadium to get a glimpse of Saturday night life.
Students also see where their classes will be held in the fall. Incoming freshman can find out about getting involved on campus, the website said, as well as participate in many other events and games, such as tug of war. The full schedule can be viewed online in the LSU STRIPES handbook.
Alumni can get involved in an event called “Passing the Torch.” This event is the representation of leadership getting passed down from the alum to the incoming Tigers.
There are three sessions with registration ending on July 17. Session one starts on July 25, session two on August 1, and session three starts on August 8.
Campus life coordinator Kolby Ledbetter said he wasn’t able to participate before his freshman year, but his interest was peaked as he heard more and more people discussing the program.
Ledbetter said this is his third year with the program, and he now serves on one of five positions on the executive board.
“I think the biggest goal of the STRIPES program is to make students feel more at home on campus because a lot of people who come are from out of state or students who are still kind of iffy about their decisions coming here,” Ledbetter said. “So we put them with small group leaders, and try to give them a community of students that they can work with and they get a fresh start in their first year of college.”