2023-24 Annual Report

Vision Statement

To be globally recognized and at the forefront of innovation in higher education for empowering students and creating a seamless transition for all.

Mission Statement

To introduce and connect all new undergraduate students to Purdue University in West Lafayette and Indianapolis through student- and staff-led academic and social programming, both on campus and virtual, to prepare them for their Purdue experience.

Program Elements

The Orientation Programs office provides a series of experiences that facilitate the transition of undergraduate students to Purdue and opportunities for student leadership. New students going through Orientation Programs experiences are welcomed “All Aboard Purdue,” a four-step process to start their journey as Boilermakers.

• Purdue 101 (Step One) – This self-led virtual Brightspace module guides students through campus resources and provides information on Purdue's course planning and advising processes. Purdue 101 is available to summer- and fall-beginning students from May to late August, and January-beginning students from October to January. New students are automatically enrolled in this online orientation module and have access to the module through the end of their first semester. Students who complete the Student Information Form (SIF) are then invited to schedule an appointment with their academic advisor.
• Purdue Advising (Step Two) – Once Purdue 101 is complete, students receive an email from an academic advisor about scheduling their first advising appointment. Students fill out a course request form after they meet with their advisor.
• Purdue 102 (Step Three) – This self-led virtual Brightspace module focuses on resources related to students' transition to campus and adjustment to college life. Purdue 102 is available to all students closer to the start of classes. New students are automatically enrolled in this online orientation module and have access to the module through the end of their first semester.
• Purdue Welcome (Step Four) – Optional welcome programs for students in West Lafayette include Boiler Gold Rush, Boiler Gold Rush International (fall beginners) and Boiler Cold Rush (spring beginners). Students in Indianapolis can attend Boiler Gold Rush in Indianapolis (fall beginners). Students may alternatively participate in campus welcome programs hosted by the Purdue “All-American” Marching Band, Purdue Musical Organizations (Purdue Varsity Glee Club and Purduettes), and Athletics programs in West Lafayette. Orientation Programs facilitates the following programs:
  • Boiler Gold Rush (BGR) – Established in 1993 as CORN (Collegians Orientating Residential Newcomers) Camp and as Boiler Gold Rush in 1995, BGR is Purdue’s fall orientation program. BGR takes place inside and outside of the classroom the week before the fall term in August. This program is open to all new first-year and transfer students.
  • Boiler Gold Rush International (BGRi) – Established in 2012, BGRi is a supplemental program that supports the transition, adjustment and acculturation of international students in the days prior to Boiler Gold Rush.
  • Boiler Cold Rush (BCR) – Established in 2021, BCR is a multi-day program for students starting at Purdue during the spring semester.
  • Boiler Gold Rush in Indianapolis – Held for the first time in 2024, this multi-day program for students starting at Purdue University in Indianapolis helps students transition in the week prior to the start of the fall term in August.
  • Summer Visit Days (Optional) – Established in 2022, these optional events in June are held for students and their families to visit Purdue’s campus and engage with students and staff.

Notable Changes

Many significant changes occurred from 2023 to 2024, specifically the process and development of the first orientation experience for Purdue University students in Indianapolis. National impacts from FAFSA delays and the significant increase of Purdue’s incoming class size were additional factors that had a great influence during May and June 2024.  

Fostering Belonging and a Campus Culture of Inclusive Excellence

Fostering belonging, inclusive excellence and collaboration are central to the work of Orientation Programs. Throughout the year, the team had some remarkable successes in this area, including the following highlights:

• Fostering Belonging
  • Data from Boiler Cold Rush participants (Section II, Chart 6) shows that these students continue to be retained at rates significantly higher than non-participating peers. In 2024, 90.91% of first-time, full-time students were retained from the first to the second semester, still significantly higher than peers. Notably, 100% of these students were retained in both 2022 and 2023. Historically, all new beginners and transfers were retained from spring to fall in 2023, and retention rates have remained above 90% since Boiler Cold Rush began in 2021. Prior to Boiler Cold Rush, first-to-second-semester retention for this population never exceeded 87% between 2018 and 2020.
• Inclusive Excellence
  • Orientation Programs helped select campus partners build a sense of belonging for incoming students.
    • With support from the Office of the Vice Provost for Teaching and Learning, each of the five cultural centers on campus received $5,000.00 to support programming efforts for their Boiler Gold Rush Open Houses. Several anecdotes from staff at each center shared success, and specific impacts can be seen from this reflection from staff at the LGBTQ Center:
      • “I am pleased to report that LGBTQ Center visitation and utilization continue to demonstrate the significance of our collaboration:
        • Open House Visitation Data
          • 2022: 461 unique student visits
          • 2023: 987 unique student visits over two afternoons
          • 2024: 847 unique student visits over two afternoons (decrease due to severe rain/weather on day 2; still welcomed 301 unique students despite the weather)
        • We prepared for 1,200 student visits during our BGR 2024 Open House, and we successfully applied any remaining resources to an informal extension of our open house to Friday afternoon (rain can’t stop us from building our Boilermaker community!). Our informal third day welcomed another 250 unique students.”
      • Over $200,000.00 of fee waivers were provided to students who demonstrated financial need so they could attend Boiler Gold Rush at no or reduced costs. Additionally, 27 students attended Jump Start, a program where students work in the dining courts during BGR while participating in the program at no cost. Orientation Programs and Dining & Culinary share these costs to support student participation in the program.
      • In partnership with University Undergraduate Academic Advising, students participating in Boiler Cold Rush, Boiler Gold Rush International and Boiler Gold Rush (in West Lafayette and Indianapolis) were reviewed to see if they had a full-time course load of courses. Students who did not were contacted through their BGR Team Leader and connected with an academic advisor to adjust their class schedules.
      • In alignment with the Equity Task Force, critical reflection looked at the composition of BGR student groups for the fourth year in a row. Logic was changed in the participant sorting functions so that at least three individuals of similar status were placed in each group (i.e., three Black students were placed in the same group instead of using the previous logic of distributing all non-white participants evenly across all groups). This was done in hopes of improving the experience of Black Boilermakers during BGR.
        • Post-assessment results indicated the overall satisfaction (Indicating Satisfied and Very Satisfied) of Black students with BGR was much lower than their non-Black peers in years before 2021.
        • After changes were implemented in 2021, subsequent years showed that Black student satisfaction remains slightly behind, but with a smaller gap between Black students and their non-Black peers compared to years prior to 2021.

While the cause of this satisfaction increase cannot fully be credited to the sorting of groups, this change and the continued focus on supporting Black Boilermakers does influence the experience of Black students during BGR.

Building and Collaborating for Success in Indianapolis

The process of building the orientation experience for Purdue students in Indianapolis was an extensive one, beginning well before 2024. Several key conversations and connections were made over time to develop what would become the All Aboard Purdue experience and implementation of Boiler Gold Rush in Indianapolis. Below are important milestones that occurred in the development of this program:

• In August 2023, the search began for a senior assistant director of Orientation Programs, a member of the Orientation Programs leadership team who would lead efforts in Indianapolis.
• Dan Carpenter and Craig Johnson visited IUPUI’s Bridge Week on Monday, Aug. 14, 2023, to observe the program, connect with staff and begin to understand the experience of continuing students at IUPUI who would transition to Purdue University in Indianapolis in 2024.
• With the hiring of Chris Krull as executive director of Teaching and Learning Programs on Sep. 5, 2023, conversations about the orientation experience in Indianapolis began to increase.
• Two focus group discussions were held with 11 IUPUI “O-Team” leaders and peer mentors for IUPUI’s Bridge Week and First-Year Seminars on Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2023, facilitated by Craig Johnson, Andrea Mattingly and Chris Krull. This conversation helped the Purdue team understand the IUPUI orientation experience from current students, introduce the Purdue orientation experience and offer a space for ideating about what would be helpful for incoming Purdue students in Indianapolis.
• A formal announcement was made on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023, that Purdue University students in Indianapolis would go through the All Aboard Purdue experience and have the opportunity to register for Boiler Gold Rush in Indianapolis.
• After two attempts at generating interest in a Student Orientation Committee in Indianapolis that yielded zero applications, the Orientation Programs team moved forward with a plan to recruit Team Leaders. The application for a paid Team Leader position opened on Feb. 28 accompanied by two callouts for current IUPUI students on Feb. 28 and March 1. After the application closed on March 20, 67 undergraduate students and 10 graduate students applied.
• Registration for Boiler Gold Rush in Indianapolis began on March 1 at the same time registration opened for the West Lafayette programs.
• Virginia Johnson, senior assistant director, transitioned her responsibilities to be the first Orientation Programs staff member in Indianapolis, starting on March 4, 2024.
• In March 2024, 42 undergraduate Team Leaders and 1 graduate student (Emma Rohrbacher) were selected to implement and support Boiler Gold Rush in Indianapolis.
• The first Team Leader training was held in Indianapolis on Thursday, April 18, in University Library room 110 from 6-8 p.m. The second and final training of the spring semester was held one week later, on Thursday, April 25, at the same time and in the same location.
• Purdue 101 opened for both Indianapolis and West Lafayette students on May 2. Purdue 102 opened for fall beginners at both locations on June 24.
• Seven Team Leaders were hired to support orientation efforts in Indianapolis for the summer of 2024. These students started on Monday, May 20, and worked in the 314 suite in the Engineering and Technology building.
• Two summer staff days were held to connect the West Lafayette and Indianapolis teams. The first was in West Lafayette on Thursday, June 20. The second was in Indianapolis on Friday, July 19.
• Hannah Keeler was hired as the first program coordinator for Orientation Programs in Indianapolis, starting on Monday, July 8.
• Team Leader training for Boiler Gold Rush in Indianapolis took place from Saturday, Aug. 10 through Monday, Aug. 13.
• BGR in Indianapolis participants moved into North Hall and Lux on Capitol apartments, then checked into the program at University Tower on Tuesday, Aug. 13.
• After meeting with their Team Leader and going to dinner at Tower Dining Court, around 600 students plus Team Leaders and staff volunteers were transported on 13 charter buses to attend the BGR Kickoff event at Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette.
• Several events throughout the week took place at the Madam Walker Legacy Center with support from IU-Indianapolis’ Events and Conference Services team.
• When Boiler Gold Rush concluded in the afternoon of Saturday, Aug. 17, both new and current Purdue University in Indianapolis students could participate in the Boilermaker Block Party, hosted by the Purdue for Life Foundation at Military Park.
• Throughout the week, several students interacted with community partners like the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, White River State Park, the Indianapolis Zoo and Indiana Landmarks.
• Several partners at IU-Indianapolis were critical to the success of Boiler Gold Rush in Indianapolis, including IU-Indianapolis Events and Conference Services, Campus Dining, Auxiliary Services, CrimsonCard, Police Department, and Campus Recreation.

Fall 2023/Spring 2024: New Beginners, Boiler Cold Rush, First-Year Success Project

• The Teaching and Learning communication team continued the second year of the First-Year Success Project, focusing on a consistent “just-in-time” email communication plan that directed students to critical resources throughout the fall semester.
• 108 students participated in the fourth annual Boiler Cold Rush, held Jan. 5- 6, 2024.
• There were over 400 spring new beginners in 2024 enrolled in Purdue 101 and 102, with over 150 students in the online Veterinary Nursing Distance Learning program.  

Summer 2024: Purdue 101/102, Summer Visit Days

• Two Summer Visit Days events were held on Friday, June 14, and Friday, June 28. This optional event had 1,645 student and guest registrants between the two days (up from 942 in 2023). The two dates were very similar in participation: 314 students with 508 guests (822 total) on June 14; and 306 students with 517 guests (823 total) on June 28.
• A variety of campus partners and colleagues contributed to the program’s success. Student Activities & Organizations; University Residences; Dining & Culinary; the Office of the Dean of Students; Office of Diversity, Inclusion, & Belonging; University Undergraduate Academic Advising; and many others were present to assist in the program's success. The event was supported by BGR Team Supervisors and Team Leaders who filled the role of Summer Conductors for these events.
• IT colleagues that oversee PREMIS software automatically enrolled students into Purdue 101 sections by college, into Purdue 102 modules by start term, and started Brightspace courses for each at both West Lafayette and Indianapolis locations.
• Despite nationwide FAFSA delays that pushed back the deadline for students to accept their offer, Purdue 101 opened for all new students on May 2, 2024, encouraging final completion dates of June 10 for summer beginners and June 17 for fall beginners.
• For the fourth year in a row, students were able to pin themselves on a “Purdue 101 Map,” created in tandem with colleagues from Geographic Information Systems (GIS). 9,877 students engaged in this map (up from 9,263 in 2023 and 8,050 in 2022), which gave students the chance to select their academic college then place their pin around the world.
• For the third year in a row, incoming students were encouraged to complete Purdue 101 to support a donation to the ACE Campus Food Pantry, where one dollar per completion would be donated. With FAFSA delays, this deadline was moved from the end of May to June 10. In total, $9,236.00 was donated from Orientation Programs, UUAA, and the Vice Provost of Teaching and Learning (compared to $6,646.00 in 2023, $6,638.00 in 2022 and $5,385.00 in 2021).
• Overall, 11,653 students finished Purdue 101 by completing the SIF on or before June 17 (compared to 10,936 on June 23, 2023, and 10,196 on June 24, 2022)
• Purdue 102 opened for summer beginners on June 3 and fall beginners on June 24, encouraging final completion by August 1 for all students. Purdue 102 included content such as the myStrengths Assessment (the final step in the module), PERTS Growth Mindset and Social Belonging modules, a reflection on the Purdue Pillars, and information about campus and community resources.
• New to Purdue 102 was a Pedestrian Safety module, requested specifically by President Mung Chiang. The Teaching and Learning Technologies team worked closely with campus safety colleagues to create the module to be embedded within Purdue 102.
• Continued partnership with colleagues in University Undergraduate Academic Advising evolved the Purdue 101 and 102 modules for unique populations like the Honors College, Veterinary Nursing Distance Learning and Agricultural Pathways programs.
• Significant design improvements were made to both Purdue 101 and 102 to help students more clearly navigate the modules.
• The Orientation Programs team provided additional support to the team managing Brightspace so the platform was more inclusive of students in Indianapolis. This included renaming the “West Lafayette” login button to “West Lafayette / Indianapolis.”

Fall 2024: Boiler Gold Rush (BGR), Boiler Gold Rush International (BGRi)

• Two “BGR Live” sessions were pre-recorded and launched on Monday, July 29, to prepare students for Boiler Gold Rush at both locations. Only 44 total live viewers watched both videos (an error from the Orientation Programs team). However, total views increased compared to previous years. The West Lafayette video had over 11,800 views (up from 7,500 in 2023) while the Indianapolis video had over 2,000 views.
• BGRi preceded BGR for the third year in a row and had 826 registrants (up from 726 in 2023).
• Move-in for BGR in West Lafayette took place over four days, with one day added (Saturday) due to the size of the incoming class. This took place from Aug. 10-13.
• In collaboration with the Fusion Studio for Entertainment and Engineering, four student- and faculty-led projects were featured in the third annual BGR Entertainment Challenge (more information below). Funding for these projects was supported by the Fusion Studio, Orientation Programs, and the Office of the Vice Provost for Teaching and Learning.
• The BGR Kickoff event was live-streamed for the fifth year in a row, yielding 2,134 concurrent live viewers at its peak (up from 1,175 in 2023 and 1,815 in 2022) and over 16,000 total views. The BGRi Opening Ceremony was also live-streamed publicly, yielding 42 concurrent live viewers and over 1,100 views (without prior communication about its live-stream).
• All large content sessions were held in Elliott Hall of Music and supported by Hall of Music Productions. Loeb Playhouse and several other smaller lecture rooms around campus were also used because of the high number of participants. Hall of Music supported each session.
• Purdue Promise hosted a pre-BGR orientation program for all incoming students for the second year in a row.
• New/revised events during the week of BGR and BGRi included:
  • BGRi Campus Safety: Held on Monday, Aug. 12, this session brought together both students and family members (held only for families in 2023) in Elliott Hall of Music.
  • BGRi Sendoff: Held on Monday, Aug. 12, this session served as a more formal transition from BGRi to BGR and included both students and family members.
  • BGR Kickoff: Held inside Ross-Ade Stadium on Tuesday, Aug. 13, this event included participants from West Lafayette and Indianapolis. The welcome featured President Mung Chiang, introductions to the program from the Orientation Programs team, and several BGR Hall Team competitions interspersed with athletic introductions.
  • Thursday Night Events: New in 2024, the women’s volleyball team hosted an internal scrimmage in Holloway Gymnasium to a full-capacity crowd of BGR. The women’s soccer team also started their season against Washington State at Folk Field in front of nearly 2,000 BGR participants. Two additional programs — Tyler Korso and a showing of the movie Shrek — served as concurrent programming.

Beyond 2024

• The Orientation Programs team will continue to support and welcome students to both the West Lafayette and Indianapolis locations in 2025 and evolve the team to support both populations of students.
• As a team of nine, additional support structures are to be implemented to sustain and improve the experience of undergraduate student leaders at both locations.

Orientation Programs Team Accomplishments

• Accomplishments on Purdue’s campus included:
  • Maggie Smith taught courses in other units:
    • COM 217H – Science Writing and Presentation (Spring 2024)
    • COM 217 – Science Writing and Presentation (Fall 2024)
  • Two staff members were hired onto the team:
    • Hannah Keeler, a program coordinator, began on July 8, 2024, and supports programmatic and student staff operations in Indianapolis.
    • Alison Webb, associate director, began on Aug. 7, 2024, and oversees on-campus programs in West Lafayette
  • Virginia Johnson finished her studies in the College of Education at Purdue University and will receive a Master of Science in Education with a focus curriculum and instruction in Dec. 2024.
• Additional partnerships and connections were created outside of Purdue for programmatic and professional development, including:
  • Craig Johnson, Maggie Smith and Virginia Johnson attended the 43 ^rd Annual Conference on The First-Year Experience from Feb. 17-21, 2024, in Seattle, Washington.
  • Abby (Molzer) Roskos and Adina Loomis served as Indiana state coordinators for NODA.
  • Abby (Molzer) Roskos was selected to serve on the Directorate of the Graduate Students and New Professionals Community of Practice for the American College Personnel Association (ACPA). Her role is the Coordinator of Special Events on the Convention Experience Team.
  • Staff and students presented at the 2024 NODA Region V Conference in Iowa City, Iowa, held from March 8-10.
    • Abby (Molzer) Roskos and Adina Loomis presented “Can Everyone Read This? A Roundtable on Writing Accessibility into Your Orientation Program.”
    • Kelsey Black and April Lanka presented “Orientation Exploration: Cultivating Meaningful Connections in College.”
    • Ty Roman and John Stutzman presented “Beyond the Script: Composing the Orientation Leader Story with Servant Leadership.”
    • Lyla Stubbe and Varun Kamble presented “Unleashing the Power of FreeZone: A Guide to Promoting Student’s Comfort with Vulnerability!”
    • Bia Cren Colalillo and John Riley presented “Tuning Out Bias: How to Fix Your "Stereo’types’.”
  • Virginia Johnson attended the IDEAL Conference presented by Indiana University and the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity (NCORE) from April 4-6, 2024, in Indianapolis, Indiana.
  • Craig Johnson attended the 2024 Big Ten Meeting of orientation professionals from Oct. 7-9, 2024, at the University of Wisconsin at Madison.
  • Whitney Johnson became a Qualified Administrator for the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI).
  • Virginia Johnson, Hannah Keeler, Adina Loomis, Abby (Molzer) Roskos, Whitney Johnson and Jacque Rickett attended the 2024 NODA Annual Conference in Portland, Oregon.
    • Virginia Johnson was selected as a faculty member for the Orientation Professionals Institute (OPI).
    • Hannah Keeler participated in OPI.

Our Data

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