Faculty and staff at The Baptist College of Florida (BCF) were so excited to welcome new students during orientation January 20-21. The two-day event was packed full of gathering information and meeting all of the college resource people that support new students in this next step toward reaching their educational goals.
The first day of orientation began with registration and breakfast in the Deese Center where new students were able to meet the Resident Assistants (RAs), the Admission Team that helped them through the application process, the Housing Manager, and the staff in the Registrar’s Office. Following the early morning fellowship time, new students gathered in the R. G. Lee Chapel for a time of Praise and Worship followed by an encouraging and powerful message from BCF President Thomas A. Kinchen. He reminded students that God has an incredible plan as they enter this chapter of their lives and that the BCF faculty and staff are here to encourage, support, and facilitate that plan.
Motivated by the worship service, new students then joined the BCF Registrar Stephanie Orr in the Mills Center to receive information on the catalog and academic expectations, student handbook and policy guidelines, viewed a video of the buildings and classrooms on campus, and met staff that will be there to assist them during their academic studies. Afterwards, new students were able to join their professors and academic advisors for lunch and meet returning students studying in the same major. Following lunch, new students boarded a bus for a tour of the campus and the Graceville area that will be their home for next few years.
Throughout the day there were entertaining opportunities to get to know each other and the campus during the activities led by the RAs. The evening concluded with a special time of student led worship in the R. G. Lee Chapel. The following day, students met in the Kinchen Center for the first Baptist Collegiate Ministry (BCM) Coffee Hour led by BCF Graduate and Admissions Counselor Collin Dollar. Dollar shared with new students the importance of finding a church home and getting involved in the community. Orientation ended with Game Night in the BCF Wellness Center.
One of the main purposes of New Student Orientation is to equip and prepare new students for the semester and provide them with the information to succeed. For more information on degrees offered at The Baptist College of Florida, please call 800.328.2660 or visit the website at www.baptistcollege.edu.