Vuceptors: Tour guides on the road of life
A unique phenomenon occurs every August when Vanderbilt freshmen move into
their dorm rooms: They hardly move a thing. In fact, even their parents
are spared the agony of lugging around refrigerators and microwaves, pillows
and bedspreads. They are spared this laborious right of passage because
of Vuceptors.
Vucept, an organization to help new students make the transition to Vanderbilt,
is the University's version of the Welcome Wagon. Unique to Vanderbilt,
Vucept takes its name from Vanderbilt University (VU) and "praeceptor,"
Latin for leader. Vuceptors are an integral part of the transition to college
and have the potential to make a lasting impression on new students.
Vucept is unlike any other college orientation program because of the depth
of its student involvement. "Other programs are shorter and less inp;depth.
They are also run by faculty, not students," said Vucept President
Sonal Saraswat. A senior in the School of Engineering, Saraswat has been
active in the organization since her sophomore year.
The organization of the committee is broken down into three tiers: 12 Executive
Board members, 11 team leaders and 355 Vuceptors. The group is advised by
Zack Coapland and Mary Lou Edgar with the Office of Student Services.
The Vucept Executive Board is selected by the Office of Student Services
in November. The Vuceptors are selected through a rigorous application process
in the spring. They attend several workshops designed to build unity and
better prepare them for the task ahead. Vuceptors work in pairs or groups
of three, which are chosen to complement each other's strengths, and guide
groups of eight to 12 freshman and transfer students. Their relationship
with the new students begins long before the semester because Vuceptors
write and call members of their group throughout mid- to late summer. As
the freshman arrival date approaches, Vuceptors return to campus early to
prepare for the beginning of Vucept.
The Executive Board selects the theme for Vucept, this year choosing "Color
outside the lines." The activities planned for the first few weeks
of school include a riverboat night cruise, a service outreach day, a picnic
at the Chancellor's house and an entire weekend devoted to new students
featuring comedian Kevin Nealon from "Saturday Night Live."
The board's goal this year is to extend the interaction between new student
and Vuceptor beyond the first few weeks and into a lasting relationship
and provide new students with a support group long before they step foot
on campus.
For more information on Vucept, please contact ZackCoapland at Campus Student
Services, 322p;3963.
-by Jessica Baldwin
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Document Created June 26, 1997
by Billy Kingsley