Reflections on the First Year: Jesse Ross

Hello Everyone!

My name is Jesse Ross, and my HESA Apprenticeship is in Baylor’s New Student Programs(NSP) office. The NSP office plans and coordinates programming for new Baylor students, such as New Student Orientation, Baylor Line Camp, and Welcome Week. My apprenticeship is formally linked to the coordination of Welcome Week programming. Luckily, I also have the opportunity to work with each NSP program throughout the summer since all the coordination is done out of our one office and I am conveniently placed in the middle of it all. So when I am not taking classes, I am usually sharing an office with all the directors of Orientation, Baylor Line Camp, and Welcome Week.

Like I said, my main responsibilities involve Welcome Week programming. During this first year of my apprenticeship, I contributed significantly to the application and selection process for our 450+ Welcome Week student leaders. I often led the interview sessions for those students participating in our application process. Since I enjoy being artistic, I also designed all the advertising items for the Welcome Week application process. This included flyers and large banners placed all around campus. It was not one of my official tasks to design the Welcome Week advertising, it was just one of the additional apprenticeship opportunities I had the freedom to take advantage of since I enjoy computer design.

Since many new students also start their attendance to Baylor before the spring semester, our NSP office also coordinates a condensed version of Welcome Week programming in January. We call this pre-spring programming Welcome “Weekend.” During my first year I also assisted in the leader training and operation of this program. However, this coming year, I will become the second-year graduate apprentice, and I will be tasked with designing and directing this entire weekend of programming myself.

Truly, it has been a wonderful year in my apprenticeship position in New Student Programs. Its fun working so closely with student leaders and getting to play such an important role in planning and implementing some of the most cherished Baylor traditions and new student experiences. Since my position allows me direct contact with new students and student leaders, I also get to apply the things we are learning in our HESA classes to my experience in NSP. Student development theories and good administrative principles become much more relevant when you are able to conveniently apply those elements and principles to your Student Affairs work. Therefore, the NSP apprenticeship has been a very enjoyable experience for me during my time in Baylor’s HESA program.