Morgan State welcome sign on the intersection of Hillen Road and Cold Spring Lane

Welcome Back Morganites!

By: Christopher Price

Posted: 8/29/07

Welcome Back Morganites! The Fall 07 semester is upon us, and with it brings a renewed chance to shine, both inside the classroom, and out. This new semester brings many changes to the campus, and many upgrades that all students will be able to take advantage of. Just as last Fall brought us the New Student Center, this fall semester brings us new updates to the student center, a new look across various parts of the campus, and an increased focus on providing the best experience available for all Morganites.

For the returning students, it'll be back to normal with not so much as a bump in the road, but for the freshman, it can certainly be a confusing and overwhelming experience. Managing and adjusting schedules, tracking down classrooms, balancing a budget while away from home, and adjusting to life on campus are just some of the trials that the new student will have to adjust to.

Fortunately, the students aren't alone in these endeavors. Morgan State University offers a plethora of services and departments which exist to assist the student. One such department is the Office of Student Affairs. We had the pleasure of speaking with Mrs. Anitra Leach, an Administrative Assistant to the Vice President of Student Affairs, and were able to glean a bit of information that may be of assistance to incoming students.

When asked about what steps the Student Affairs office takes to ensure a smooth transition into the new semester, Mrs. Leach offered a solid first choice of words. "I just pray," she said, transitioning into a smile. "When we get the calls and the visits, we just take the time we need to ensure that the students understand what they came to understand. We don't want to ring them around, and to accomplish this, we take them on a student-to-student basis."

The conversation then turned to the estimated ratio between prepared students and those that come unprepared. "I'd say about 80 percent are unprepared," said Mrs. Leach, drinking from her water bottle. We then asked if the University could do anything to raise those numbers. "Morgan needs to put more information out for the students," she began, after answering a call. "There needs to be more avenues for information to be directed towards students, but at the same time, those students must also be willing to use what mediums they're being given."

We asked her if she had any advice for the incoming and returning students, to which she smiled and lit up. "Use Websis - learn Websis - it's a priority," she began, glancing up at the door for a potential visitor. "We get students that don't have their loans (accepted), or that don't know what a FAFSA is, or don't know how to add and drop classes, and these are all things that are on the website." She also emphasized the importance of seeking the right departments for the right assistance. "We can't fix financial aid mix-ups or admission problems first, so it's important to go to the right department. Don't use Student Affairs as your first stop - make it your last resort."

We were also able to speak to a few returning students in order to attain additional information. Speaking with Raymond Bryant Hall, as self-proclaimed Super-Senior majoring in Economics, yielded valuable insight as to the mind of a seasoned veteran of the college scene. When asked about his favorite thing about Morgan, he seemed wistful as he replied. "My favorite thing is the fact that I've had the ability to adapt and grow into a better person," he began, refilling his bottle of water. "Morgan places you into real situations, and yet, despite of the hardships, I've come to love the family atmosphere here."

We were interested in hearing what his biggest hardship was, to which he replied, "relating to my fellow peers." We naturally probed a bit farther, but with a laugh, that was all we could get out of him on the subject.

Lastly, we asked him, as a Super-Senior, what his advice would be to incoming freshman. "Start off being focused," he said, adjusting his bag on his shoulder. "The fun will come to you as it comes, but your GPA in your first semesters is what's most important."

The Spokesman looks forward to delivering the latest in news and events to students, faculty, and staff throughout the Fall 07 and Spring 08 semesters. On behalf of the Spokesman, we wish you all good luck, and a safe and enjoyable semester.