Within the Department of Student Activities, is the Extended Orientation division. The Extended Orientation division is currently made up of five people and myself as an intern. The Extended Orientation team is primarily in charge of running the extended orientation programs - Fish Camp and Aggie Transition Camps. Both of these organizations are dedicated to welcoming new Aggies to Texas A&M.
Aggie Transition Camps, or ATC, is a student run organization that welcomes incoming transfer students to Texas A&M through Howdy Camp in January for the spring term and Transfer (or T) Camp in August for the fall term. ATC camps are a 3-day, 2- night extended orientation program held in Trinity, Texas at Trinity Pines. Howdy Camp and T Camp help transition transfer students into the Aggie family, allow them to learn about the university’s history and traditions, and build lasting friendships. Aggie Transition Camps put a strong emphasis on the values of commitment, knowledge, inclusivity, servant leadership, and integrity to fulfill their mission of welcoming transfer students into Texas A&M.
Fish Camp is a 4-day, 3-night orientation program held at Lakeview in Palestine, Texas. Fish Camp welcomes freshmen to Texas A&M by teaching them the history and traditions of the university and gives them the opportunity to have fun, make friends, and learn more about life at Texas A&M. Fish Camp’s mission states “Fish Camp strives to welcome freshmen into the Aggie family by sharing the traditions and values of Texas A&M University and creating a universally accepting support system that allows them to build relationships and embody the Aggie spirit.” Fish Camp strives to accomplish their mission through their six values of development, integrity, compassion, unity, continuity, and outreach. During Fish Camp, presentations from the recreation center, traditions council, CARPOOL, student health services, Freshman Leadership Advisory Council (FLAC), Aggie honor code office, and more are presented to the freshmen to give them a wide overview of organizations, services, and opportunities that are available to them once they start their college career at Texas A&M. The freshmen are divided into seven different color camps of an average of 140 people in each camp. Every camp is named after an individual who has positively impacted Texas A&M. Within each camp, there are 2 co-chairs and 24 counselors who are responsible for a discussion group (DG) with 8-14 freshmen. Within each DG, freshmen are encouraged to bond with a smaller group of people and ask their DG counselors or “parents” any questions they have about college life, academics, and/or their experiences at Texas A&M. Skits are put on by the counselors to provide information to the freshmen in a funny but informative way. Skits go over traditions such as Ring Dance and Howdy, Beutel and student health services, ticket pull, the Aggie Honor Code, among many other topics. Fish Camp makes a great effort to inform the freshmen that camp is not only the four days at Lakeview. Continuity is one of the most important values of Fish Camp and counselors are there for their freshmen throughout their entire college career. Fish Camp allows the freshmen to quickly build a support system of Aggies that will help them find their way at Texas A&M.
Aggie Transition Camps, or ATC, is a student run organization that welcomes incoming transfer students to Texas A&M through Howdy Camp in January for the spring term and Transfer (or T) Camp in August for the fall term. ATC camps are a 3-day, 2- night extended orientation program held in Trinity, Texas at Trinity Pines. Howdy Camp and T Camp help transition transfer students into the Aggie family, allow them to learn about the university’s history and traditions, and build lasting friendships. Aggie Transition Camps put a strong emphasis on the values of commitment, knowledge, inclusivity, servant leadership, and integrity to fulfill their mission of welcoming transfer students into Texas A&M.
Fish Camp is a 4-day, 3-night orientation program held at Lakeview in Palestine, Texas. Fish Camp welcomes freshmen to Texas A&M by teaching them the history and traditions of the university and gives them the opportunity to have fun, make friends, and learn more about life at Texas A&M. Fish Camp’s mission states “Fish Camp strives to welcome freshmen into the Aggie family by sharing the traditions and values of Texas A&M University and creating a universally accepting support system that allows them to build relationships and embody the Aggie spirit.” Fish Camp strives to accomplish their mission through their six values of development, integrity, compassion, unity, continuity, and outreach. During Fish Camp, presentations from the recreation center, traditions council, CARPOOL, student health services, Freshman Leadership Advisory Council (FLAC), Aggie honor code office, and more are presented to the freshmen to give them a wide overview of organizations, services, and opportunities that are available to them once they start their college career at Texas A&M. The freshmen are divided into seven different color camps of an average of 140 people in each camp. Every camp is named after an individual who has positively impacted Texas A&M. Within each camp, there are 2 co-chairs and 24 counselors who are responsible for a discussion group (DG) with 8-14 freshmen. Within each DG, freshmen are encouraged to bond with a smaller group of people and ask their DG counselors or “parents” any questions they have about college life, academics, and/or their experiences at Texas A&M. Skits are put on by the counselors to provide information to the freshmen in a funny but informative way. Skits go over traditions such as Ring Dance and Howdy, Beutel and student health services, ticket pull, the Aggie Honor Code, among many other topics. Fish Camp makes a great effort to inform the freshmen that camp is not only the four days at Lakeview. Continuity is one of the most important values of Fish Camp and counselors are there for their freshmen throughout their entire college career. Fish Camp allows the freshmen to quickly build a support system of Aggies that will help them find their way at Texas A&M.