New Blog

Hi everyone,

We are moving to our new blogger spot at http://uogporientation.blogspot.com/ to update our new information from now on!
Most of the relevant blog entry from this ISS Orientation is still available from the UOGP Orientation blog, and all the new information will be updated there shortly.

Sorry for your inconvenience. Stay in touch!

Fall Orientation 2009

Hi Everyone! 

University Office of Global Programs and volunteers for the orientation are getting ready for the Fall orientation! 

We will update this blog shortly. Most of the information on this blog is still relevant, so while we prepare further update, please check out the old articles.

If you have any question about orientation, please contact UOGP directly for now. 

Thank you for your patience. 

Spring Orientation Schedule

Hello everyone! 

The orientation leaders just moved into the Days Inn and we are doing last minute preparation for tomorrow's orientation. 

We will have the printed version at our room, but you can also download the schedule of the orientation at International Student Service website. 

We will be opening our room at 10:00am, and our first social activity will be the campus tour, starting from 11:00am! 

Have a safe trip everyone! 

Getting ready for orientation! - Social Activity

Hi everyone! This is Natsuki!

Only a week till the orientation! I hope you guys are all excited for the start of your new life in State College!

Orientation volunteers are getting ready for the social activities! In addition to many mandatory sessions (I know, I know, some of the mandatory session seems boring, but you really should go!!!), we are also planning various fun events! Social activity is a great opportunities to get to know other new students as well as the volunteers. I highlight some of my favorite events here...

Dinner Tour
Scheduled on January 5, 8 and 9.
Volunteers will lead groups of new students to their favorite restaurants in downtown. Dining with your new friends will be a good way to get to know each other. You can ask questions you have to the volunteers, too. They will show you around the downtown to introduce their favorite spots! Look how many people joined in the dinner tour in the last spring orientation!


Scavenger Hunt & Life in State College session
Scheduled on January 7 (scavenger hunt), and 8 (Life in State College session)
On Wednesday, you guys will be divided into small groups and solve series of questions together. Questions will ask you to find certain objects and buildings on campus and downtown. It is fun way to learn the way around of the area you will be living, and it was a huge success last year! (The photo is from the last year!)
On the following day, you will attend Life in State College session to complete the quiz and check the answers. You may have additional quiz to get a bit more points at the last minute! We will also share the photos you took during the Scavenger Hunt.



Shopping trips
Scheduled on January 5 and 6.
You guys will need various items to start your life in State College... Bedding, notebooks, some foods, nice winter jacket (Yes, it gets down to -28C in the winter)... State College is not really the best place to do fancy shopping, but you guys can get basic stuff. Volunteers will help you guys to go to shopping centers.

Other events...
Bowling, Laser tag (see photo), Star gazing show... and MUCH MORE!

We try our best to organize fun events throughout the orientation week. I remember that I was so lonely and getting homesick when I first came to Penn State, and when I went to London this summer. So, don't stay in your room all by yourself. Come out and have fun with us :)

You will find many posts about the social activities in the Orientation Leaders room in Days Inn. Come and find out about exciting events for the day!

Question on Housing (White Course) and Summer Internship

Hi this is Ming, Here is a common question concerning housing (at White Course Apartments) and related to it a question about what to do in summer: "Hello, I am from Italy and I have been admitted to the Energy and Mineral Engineering department for a Phd. First of all thank you for all the usefull information. I have just received the white course single apartment lease agreement and I see that for the spring semester the lease ends 5/17/2009. My graduate assistanship is for the spring semester and for the autumn one. So what does usually happen during the summer semester? do you think it would be possible for me to find some kind of internship on campus? If I return home will I be able to store my belongings somewhere? I am asking you this because I am booking my flight and maybe you could advise me on a possible return date. A return ticket would be much cheaper! Any time I might be able to return to Italy for a couple of weeks. Thank you again" Answer: The white course apartment allows tenants to stay on throughout the whole year. What you need to do is to inquire from the housing office there once you are here (or even before you arrive if you could) the procedure to entent your apartment's lease. Be sure to do it quickly though as housing is in high demand. If you continue to rent the White Course apartment, you would have a place to store your belongings or you could ask a friend to help you out.  Answer: Summer graduate assistantship is something every international student needs to "negotiate" with their advisors and department personally. Some graduate students gets a Research Funding for certain summer project, some becomes part of the ongoing reseach, some advanced students get to teach a summer course, some go for internships, some work part-time in the university's library or eateries, and there arel some who doesn't get any financial assistance at all for the summer. Note: as an international student, you can only work on campus even in the summer unless it is an internship (as part of your studies). Answer: Airline ticket prices fluctuate from month to month, so it is really depending on your schedule. If you have decided to stay here during Summer, then you could still go home for a couple of weeks before the Summer sessions begin or after they have ended. Check out the Penn State Academic Calendar.  I hope these info helps. See you soon!