A Place to Belong: Kuyper Begins Summer Orientation
In late May, Kuyper College welcomed a group of incoming students to campus for the first of several Summer Orientation sessions—designed to help smooth their transition into college life and set them up for success.
“It helps give them the chance to get things like housing, financial aid, enrolling in classes, and KuyperWorks employment squared away early,” explained Emily Perton, Kuyper’s Director of Student Success and Work.
This early head start means students return in the fall ready to hit the ground running.
“After coming to one of the three sessions in the summer, they can just focus on moving in and becoming part of the community,” Perton added. “And having already visited the campus and met some of their classmates helps them feel more at home.”
The day kicked off bright and early, with Kuyper staff welcoming students and their families with a smile. After receiving their personalized schedules—along with some free Kuyper gear—everyone gathered in Walters Dining Hall for an official welcome.
“We hope, today, that you start to sense a place to belong, a community to be a part of,” said Kuyper President Patricia Harris, before opening the day with prayer and a short reflection.
That sense of belonging now has more room to grow. For the past five years, Kuyper has hosted Harmel Academy of the Trades, a post-secondary trade school for Catholic men, in the Holt Apartments. But with Harmel’s recent move to a new home on the Aquinas College campus, more residential space is now available for Kuyper students.
After President Harris’ welcome, students jumped into a high-energy icebreaker before rotating through a series of stations around the dining hall. There, they got a head start on class registration, financial aid, tech access, and other key areas of campus life.
In Vos Chapel, members of the Spiritual Life, Academic, and Student Development teams shared their vision for supporting students in this new chapter.
“We are here to help equip you to go out into the world and serve God with your unique gifts and talents,” said Al Moss, Director of Spiritual Life.
A hearty lunch back in the dining hall was followed by a KuyperWorks job fair, where students met potential supervisors and learned more about their soon-to-be campus jobs. Later sessions covered the ins and outs of the KuyperWorks program and student housing.
The day wrapped up with an in-depth campus tour—leaving students more familiar with the place, more connected to the people, and one step closer to calling Kuyper home.
