Registration is now open and spots are still available! If you would like to register for OPI, please click here.

About the Institute
The Orientation Professionals Institute is a three-day training program that takes place just prior to the NODA annual conference each year. It is designed for professional staff members who have less than two years of experience in orientation and transition services—either new professionals or those with experience in higher education but who recently acquired orientation as part of their job. The institute connects these participants with experienced professionals in the field and provides valuable training that participants can apply on their own campuses.

Institute Features
OPI is staffed by six outstanding faculty who have held leadership positions within NODA and who will bring together a wide variety of orientation and administrative experiences. Regardless of the type of institution you represent, you will have ample opportunity to interact with faculty, NODA leadership, and participants who share common challenges.

There will be a maximum of 100 participants who will be placed into different groups throughout the institute such as groups by type of institution and regions.

OPI will be held November 5-7, 2009, in conjunction with the NODA annual conference which participants are encouraged to attend to learn more about orientation, transition, and retention.

What topics will be covered?

• Building the foundation for an orientation programming model
• Learning programming ideas for first-year students, transfer students, parents, family members and adult/returning students
• Recruiting, selecting, training, supervising and evaluating staff
• Designing and managing budgets
• Building collaborative partnerships on campus
• Incorporating issues of diversity in orientation programs and training
• Using standards in the assessment and evaluation of orientation
• Managing stress and avoiding burnout
• Learning about professional development opportunities in NODA

How to register for OPI
The cost of the institute is $250 which covers one continental breakfast, one lunch, one dinner, and a binder with all the program materials. Because NODA is supplementing the cost of this program, all institute participants must be NODA members.

For more information
Christine Timmerman
Director, Outreach and Retention
Lone Star College - CyFair
9191 Barker Cypress Road
Cypress, TX 77433
832-482-1010
Christine.M.Timmerman@lonestar.edu