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Is this College Orientation or Summer Camp? 5 Schools with Awesome Orientation Trips

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Noodle Staff June 13, 2012

From biking to hiking to farming, these college orientation programs will have you meeting fellow student while you're having fun.

In this course, participants learn core principles, concepts, and methods of continuous improvement and explore the history of continuous improvement efforts. In a series of lectures, Master Black Belt in Six Sigma Shane Wentz, Ph.D., enables learners to enhance, optimize, and stabilize business processes and to augment quality control through varied methodologies. Participants gain the skills and knowledge to reimagine internal processes, engage in advanced problem-solving, and empower employees. The course covers high-level foundational principles of Lean, Six Sigma, and DMAIC processes before diving deep into Lean Six Sigma methods. Learners will analyze the tools of process mapping, Kaizen (a continuous improvement method/tool deemed a prerequisite for Lean transformation success), Lean (a continuous improvement philosophy that emphasizes streamlined workflows and reducing waste), and the process improvement methodology driving DMAIC: Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control.

Entrepreneurs fostering new ventures outside of well-developed entrepreneurial ecosystems like Silicon Valley face significant challenges. These markets are unlike Silicon Valley, and they will likely remain so. That doesn't mean they can't nurture and sustain new businesses. In transitioning markets that lack abundant private sector financing, creative approaches from government officials, donors, and business leaders can fill the void to support entrepreneurial activity. Northeast Ohio (where Cleveland and Case Western Reserve University are located) has become a laboratory for such innovative solutions. During our time together in this course, we will explore some of these creative approaches to promoting regional entrepreneurship. Northeast Ohio has seen a massive infusion of government and donor resources for over ten years. In that time, Northeast Ohio has promoted regional development (including job creation and follow-on funding) through alternative methods of financing startups. It has not been easy. The region has made progress, but it remains to be seen whether it has struck upon an enduring formula. A dynamic entrepreneurial ecosystem takes many years, even decades, to develop. Government policymakers and donors typically seek quicker returns on their support programs, which makes long-term support for entrepreneurship challenging. This course includes case studies and first-person testimonials from entrepreneurs who have launched products and services ranging from medical devices to LED lights to whiskey. You will learn how these entrepreneurs discovered and procured resources from various programs and intermediary organizations. You will hear from business people still in the process of developing their companies as well as those whose ventures have flourished. Our focus will extend beyond Cleveland to selected markets around the world, including Greece, Vietnam, Tunisia, Argentina, Rwanda and China. You will learn about international incentives and other supports available to developing startups and small businesses across the globe. This course examines how different communities around the world approach implementing strategies and methods to support businesses. I will ask you to reflect on how to apply the principles we learn to growing entrepreneurship where you live. The social interactive features of the online platform will enable students from around the world to share ideas and learn from one another. Most MOOCs rebroadcast professors’ lectures; this course is different. Don’t expect to see me standing in front of the camera, talking and lecturing every module. Instead, the lectures will be relatively short in length. They have more of the feel of an engaging documentary than a static classroom setting. ## __What type of person takes the *Beyond Silicon Valley* course?__ - Active and aspiring businesspeople in communities looking to initiate new startup ecosystems or bolster existing ones - Current and prospective entrepreneurs who want to learn about funding sources, risk management, and the lifecycle of startups - Professionals who work in government agencies, nongovernmental organizations, philanthropic institutions, and various private funds that fund startups - Anyone curious about how to create and grow startup ecosystems outside the major tech hubs - The principles Beyond Silicon Valley teaches have been drawn from and applied to startups worldwide, from small villages to megalopolises. You'll study success stories spanning the globe from Vietnam to Kosovo to Botswana. ## __What will you learn in *Beyond Silicon Valley*?__ - How and where startups can find funding to get their businesses off the ground - What role government can play in encouraging startups and a healthy startup ecosystem - How anchor institutions such as universities and healthcare systems participate in startup ecosystems - How nongovernmental organizations support startups - How to raise funds from venture capitalists, angel investors, and accelerators - How to navigate challenging periods in the startup lifecycle - The importance of mentoring in successful startups

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These programs offer a variety of advantages to incoming freshmen students, allowing them to meet new friends before the school year starts and get outside of their comfort zones before moving away completely.

The most common programs revolve around outdoor activities and adventures and usually take place in the summer, between June and August. According to a recent study, about 11% of colleges offer outdoor adventure programs for incoming freshmen. Although there are programs based around the arts, community service and future careers.

Here are 5 schools with exceptionally interesting or extensive pre-orientation options:

Colby College

Colby pretty much invented the outdoor pre-orientation program, where it goes by the name COOTS. Participation is required of all freshmen students and they offer sessions in the summer and during the January/Winter term. Each program costs $275 and lasts for 3 or 4 days. This year's options include:

Summer Programs:

Canoing

Fishing

Rock Climbing

Sea Kayaking

Painting

Photography

Cooking with Local, Sustainable Foods

Mindfulness and Meditation

Yoga

Winter Programs:

Dog Sledding

Skiing

Ice Climbing

Cross Country Skiing

Primitive Skills (We're not sure what this entails but it sounds pretty hard-core).

Dartmouth College

Dartmouth offers a ton of outdoor trips for incoming freshmen. Each program costs $200 and lasts 5 days. This year's programs include:**

Cabin Camping

Canoing

Climbing

Fishing

Hiking and Yoga

Hiking (there are 4 different programs for varying levels of experience and intensity)

Horseback Riding

Flatwater Kayaking

Whitewater Kayaking

Mountain Biking

Trailwork

Community Service

Nature Exploration

Nature Photography

Nature Writing and Art

Outdoor Education

Organic Farming

Washington University in St. Louis

WashU's programs are primarily related to possible career or extracurricular interests. Most cost $200-$300 and take place on-campus in St. Louis. This year's options:

As Seen on WUTV

Campus Comedy

EnDesign (Focuses on engineering problems)

Freshmen Press (An introduction to college journalism)

Habitat for Humanity

Hot Lasers and Fast Atoms (Focuses on cutting edge chemistry and physics research)

IDEA: Innovation, Discovery, Experience, Action (A program for budding entrepreneurs)

KWUR: Adventures in Radioland

LAUNCH (Group activities and team building at a lakeside summer camp)

Leading Your Way: Exploring Leadership for Women

Leadership Through Service

Louder than a Grenada (Focuses on Poetry and spoken word)

Medicine and Research Connections

Student Union: Leading Wash U Style

The Wilderness Project (Outdoor activities such as climbing and hiking)

The Burning Kumquat (Organic farming)

World of Politics

Pomona College

Pomona's programs are free and last for 4 days. They take advantage of the surrounding nature and nearby National Parks such as Sequoia and Yosemite. Programs include:**

Backpacking Adventure

Beach Adventure

Biking/Climbing

Camp Outdoor Activities

Community Engagement

Lake Adventure

Rafting

Sea Kayaking

Sequoia National Park

Surfing

Yosemite National Park

The College of William and Mary

William and Mary is one of the only public colleges to offer pre-orientation programs. At William and Mary, the program is called 7 Generations and offerings are focused on community service throughout Virginia. This year's options include:**

Heritage (Students volunteer at the Humane Society)

Hunger (Students volunteer at soup kitchens)

Access to Housing and Healthcare (Students look at access to affordable housing and healthcare)

You can find a complete list of schools that offer outdoor pre-orientation programs here.

Image Sources: Colby College; Dartmouth; Washington University in St. Louis; Pomona College; Wiliam and Mary

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