SPOKANE, Wash. – The fall 2013 semester officially begins for Washington State University Spokane students on Monday, Aug. 19. The university has scheduled a variety of welcoming activities for new and returning students.
“The campus is committed to helping students see the value in collaboration across disciplines,” said Judy Zeiger, director of student affairs. “The events on Aug. 14-15, in particular, are great examples of engaging students in activities that allow them to collaborate from the beginning.”
Aug. 7-9 – First-year medical student orientation: Spokane’s 20 new first-year medical students will start their transition into medical school. They’ll be joined by eight first-year dental students from Eastern Washington University. Most of the first day will be based in an auditorium on campus, including the ceremonial awarding of stethoscopes at 4:20 p.m, followed by an outdoor picnic.
The best visual opportunity will be Friday, Aug. 9, when students go to the Peaceful Valley neighborhood for team-building activities, lunch and a rafting trip down the Spokane River.
Contact: Doug Nadvornick, WSU Medical Sciences, 509-358-7540, doug.nadvornick@wsu.edu
Aug. 12 – First-year medical students start class.
Aug. 14 – Wild Goose Chase: For the first time, students new to campus will participate in a “Wild Goose Chase” 1-5 p.m. Seventy-five interprofessional teams of five-six students will download a mobile app that contains 80 team challenges specific to WSU Spokane. Teams will upload photos once they’ve successfully completed each mission and the team with the most points at the end of the game wins.
Some of the missions are designed for students to get to know important places and people on campus, some focus on beginning to think about what it means to be a health professional and other missions are just for fun.
Contact: Barb Richardson, Riverpoint Interprofessional Education and Research/WSU College of Nursing, 509-324-7230, barichardson@wsu.edu
Aug. 15 – WSU Spokane new student orientation: Students from all programs on campus will participate 9 a.m.-noon in team building activities, learn more about opportunities available to them outside the classroom, take part in a resource fair and become acquainted with campus services.
Contact: Judy Zeiger, WSU Spokane Student Services, 509-358-7526, judy.zeiger@wsu.edu
Aug. 19 – Start of class for WSU Spokane students: About 1,400 WSU Spokane students will begin fall semester classes.
For the first time, Spokane will welcome about 250 first- and second-year pharmacy students. Until this year, these students have attended class in Pullman. The College of Pharmacy is consolidating its operations in Spokane after years of being split between the two campuses.
To learn more about pharmacy’s story, contact Lorraine Nelson, WSU College of Pharmacy, 509-368-6671, lanelson@wsu.edu
Aug. 19-23 – WSU Spokane Week of Welcome: The Associated Students of WSU Spokane have planned several activities during the first week of classes, including a four-on-four volleyball tournament Aug. 21-22 and an all-campus BBQ Aug. 23. The Inland Northwest Blood Center will bring its mobile unit to campus for a blood drive 2-6 p.m. on Aug. 20.
Contact: Tanya Bailey, 509-358-7978, tanya.bailey@wsu.edu
Aug. 22 – Second-year medical student orientation: Spokane’s first group of second-year medical students will spend the morning and lunch together. These students are part of an exciting two-year pilot for second-year medical education in Spokane. Fifteen members of the 19-student class studied in Spokane last year.
Contact: Doug Nadvornick, WSU Medical Sciences, 509-358-7540, doug.nadvornick@wsu.edu
Aug. 26 – Second-year medical students start class.
About WSU Spokane
WSU Spokane is Washington State University’s urban health sciences campus. Located in the heart of the University District near downtown Spokane, WSU Spokane prepares the state’s future generations of physicians, nurses, pharmacists and other health professionals and houses world-class research that leads to healthier people and communities. Learn more about WSU’s growing health sciences campus at http://www.spokane.wsu.edu