Odyssey 2005 Welcomes Potential Students to New Frontiers at CUA

Catholic University rolled out the welcome mat for 350 prospective students and their parents April 6, for an "admitted candidate" open house featuring workshops, panels, receptions and mixers all over campus.

Called Odyssey 2005, the unprecedented event offered a campus-wide look at all CUA has to offer. The event was intended to introduce incoming students to people and places on campus, while potentially drawing in applicants who have been admitted to several universities.

A panel of CUA students took questions from Odyssey 2005 visitors during the “Why I Chose CUA and Why I Would Choose It Again” session.

"I've been here before, so really this is Dad's day," said Ashley Boehk, 17, a senior at Catholic High School in Baltimore who stopped by a catered reception in the business and economics department to chat with professors and check out their international business program. She and her father, Anthony Boehk, were on their way to a demonstration of how modern languages are taught at CUA. The workshop was one of dozens of educational sessions offered to parents and students throughout the day.

"I'm just here to see the campus," Mr. Boehk said. "I'm glad to see it has smaller classes where she could get more one-on-one instruction and interaction with professors."

Visitors to campus for Odyssey 2005 got to experience that kind of interaction with faculty firsthand, at a series of "Welcome Receptions for Majors" held in various departments and schools around campus. Professors from a variety of disciplines offered interactive workshops, lectures and "mini-classes." Musical performances, athletic demonstrations and worship services were available, in addition to Q & A panels where students and others described the CUA experience.

"After meeting the people here I loved it so much that I cancelled plans to visit other schools," said Lynne Dardis, a junior who answered questions for the "Why I Chose CUA and Why I Would Choose It Again” session.

"All the professors know your name, they are there when you need them…They really care about you and are ready to help you," she said. " There are many opportunities offered by a small school that make it worth it … There are so many opportunities to meet all different kinds of people. It is very easy to get involved here."

Upgrading and improving the offerings at CUA's open house for admitted students was a priority for Dale Herold, dean of enrollment management, after she came to campus last year. She already had organized many such events in previous positions, and undertook the cooperative effort here with the help of 25 faculty and staff members, including deans and assistant deans from the various schools, staff from the student life office, the alumni office and facilities administrators. The group already has started thinking about how to plan a similar event next year.

Dale Herold, dean of enrollment management, spoke to prospective students and their families at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.

"The music events and activities hosted by the various schools were very well attended," Ms. Herold said. "I have to applaud the schools for the amount of work they put in. That was the thrust, to get students to meet with the faculty."

Feedback from surveys handed out to the visitors has been overwhelmingly positive, Ms. Herold said, adding that several parents have called enrollment services to let her know the program made their minds up about where to send their children in the fall.

"It was the deciding factor and that's what that program is about. It's between us and another school and the program becomes the tie-breaker," Ms. Herold said. "I think what made it successful is the cooperation from the deans, the faculty, student life and all the other participants. The plethora of activities available to students was really the most I've ever been able to put together, because so many people were all willing to work on it," Ms. Herold said. "It all just came together."

In the afternoon, parents and students gathered in the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception where they were welcomed by the Very Rev. David M. O'Connell, C.M., President, and Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, archbishop of Washington and CUA chancellor. In his address, Father O’Connell said "We are not so large that the individual student gets lost. And we are not so small that the individuals’ minds and horizons are not stretched.”

Red, white and blue balloons festooned buildings all around campus, where parents and their high school seniors took tours, visited with professors and talked with students stationed at various points around campus.

Greg Jasina, a freshman architecture student, was working as a student ambassador on the steps of McMahon Hall.

Freshman Greg Jasina, left, and sophomore Kevin Sweeney welcome prospective student Caehlin Bell.

"Most of them want to know about safety on campus and they want to see the residence halls. And they want to know what it's like being a student here," he said, breaking off when he saw an old high school classmate walking by with her father.

"You're Caehlin Bell and you went to Hillsborough High School," he said, greeting her exuberantly. "I graduated the year before you and recognized your name on the roster in admissions. I thought, 'that girl runs cross country.'"

"You're Greg Jasina," she said, smiling at him. Upon finding out she wanted to study set design, Mr. Jasina started urging Miss Bell to look into architecture. "Have you visited the architecture building? You should go there. You should think about it, it's a great program."

Miss Bell's father, Michael Bell, took advantage of a pause in Mr. Jasina's delivery to ask, "So how do you like Catholic University? Do you like it here?"

"Oh yeah," he answered, going on to enthuse about the campus, talking about the close-knit student community, the campus' proximity to the city and all its job and internship opportunities. "Kevin here is interning for the White House," Mr. Jasina said, motioning to his fellow ambassador, Kevin Sweeney, a sophomore history major. “It's a great campus, there's lots to do, and it's full of really nice people."