Pre-Departure Orientation: the three-step
process
In order to fully prepare you for your upcoming journey and
allow you to make the most of your time abroad, we've developed a
three-part orientation process that will guide you through
everything that you need to do and know before you go. Through this
process, you'll get detailed information on what you can expect
from your program and what we expect of you. It may seem like a
lot, but we've found this process to be the best way of making
pre-departure orientation as painless as possible - and remember,
you'll be required to complete all three components of the
orientation process before beginning your program.
Step 1: The Global Studies
Blackboard Course
Once you've confirmed your enrollment in a Global Studies
program, you'll automatically be enrolled in the Global Studies
Orientation Blackboard Course. This course will guide you through a
step-by-step explanation of all of the most important elements of
pre-departure preparation, including health and safety, student
conduct, academic expectations and more.
You can access the Blackboard course by visiting the Blackboard Login
Portal. Log in using your St. John’s Central login information
(username is your email address, minus the “@stjohns.edu” part,
password is your 6-digit pin), and click the link for “Global
Studies Orientation” under “My Courses.” From there, just follow
the instructions provided within the course! In order to complete
the blackboard portion of orientation, you’ll have to view each of
the five presentations included in the course, then complete a
short quiz after each one. You must score 100% on each quiz
in order to complete the course, but don’t worry, you can
take the quizzes as many times as you need. The recommended
deadline to complete the course is Saturday, April 28 (the date of
the Send-Off Soiree) but all students must complete the
course before their departure date.
Step 2: Pre-Departure Advisement
Sessions
So you've gone through the Global Studies Blackboard course and
you're familiar with the basics of preparing for life abroad. Now
it's time to meet with a Global Studies New York staff member,
along with 3-5 of your fellow travelers, to discuss what comes
next. This 45-minute meeting will allow us to fill you in on some
of the day-to-day details of life abroad, as well as answer any
questions that you may have. To schedule an appointment for your
advisement session, contact our office.
Summer 2012 Advisement
Sessions:
April 2 - May 31, 2012
Mondays at 9am
Tuesdays at 10am
Wednesdays at 1pm
Thursdays at 2 pm
Step 3: Site-Specific Info
Sessions
By this time, you should feel pretty comfortable with the idea
of going abroad, whether you're a veteran globetrotter or a
first-time traveler. Still, there's some important information that
we need to give you that focuses on the specific city and country
you'll be studying in. These Site-Specific Info Sessions will be
hosted by the Office of Global Studies and by the faculty members
who will be leading your program, and will fill you in on
everything from your program's itinerary to local customs and
culture.
Bermuda Summer Session 2012
Orientation
TBA
Given that these sessions are mandatory, if you are not able to
attend one of the scheduled events, it is your responsibility to contact us and inform us of the reason for your absence. You will
also need to attend a make-up pre-departure orientation. The
schedule for these will be available closer to the date of
departure.