Allan Hancock College buzzed with energy as new and returning students filled the campus for the first day of fall classes Monday. With more than 10,000 students enrolled in both credit and noncredit courses, the college kicked off the semester with a variety of events and support services aimed at ensuring a smooth beginning. To help students navigate, information booths were strategically placed around the Santa Maria campus.
Staffed by Hancock personnel, administrators and student ambassadors, the booths offered more than just directions. "We put this out for volunteers to be able to help out for the first day," said Stefanie Aye, a human resources analyst for the college. "This is a big campus.
It's a beautiful campus, but you know sometimes with all these buildings ...
you almost kind of get lost." Aye emphasized the importance of making students feel welcome and supported, not just on the first day, but throughout their time at Hancock. "We always want to make students feel welcomed.
Not just today, but throughout the semester if they're ever on campus, they could always reach out to one of us and we'll be able to help them," she said. The information booths, part of Hancock's Week of Welcome (WOW), will remain open for the first few days of the semester to assist students. For many students, the first day was a mix of excitement and nervous anticipation.
London Ray, a freshman and recent graduate of Righetti High School, had just completed her first class. "So far I ha.