New Students Discover Resources Within Claremont University Consortium

Flickr Orientation Photo Gallery

As the busy orientation schedule continues, the new Keck Graduate Institute (KGI) students participated in a full day of activities and presentations at Pitzer College’s Benson Auditorium on Thursday, Aug. 17.

With the Henry E. Riggs School of Applied Life Sciences and School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (SPHS) represented, the new KGI students sported their 20th Anniversary teal t-shirts and filled the auditorium seating. In the opening welcome, Riggs School Dean Steve Casper and SPHS Founding Dean Kathy Webster delivered praise of the Claremont University Consortium (CUC) resources and encouraged networking between the students.

Tammy Green, director of the Student Disability Resource Center (SDRC), discussed the resources available to KGI and other CUC students. The SDRC is the centralized resource center for support for students with disabilities across the 7C campus communities. Working closely with KGI’s Disability Coordinator and Assistant Director of Student Services Britnee Harker, the SDRC ensures that students receive academic support services and accommodations to empower them to achieve their academic goals, while ensuring equitable treatment and access to all programs and activities across all campuses.

The next presentation featured campus safety and students were encouraged to download LiveSafe, a free smartphone app that helps members of The Claremont Colleges find resources and information as well as communicate suspicious or hazardous activities to Campus Safety. From any campus phone, Campus Safety can be reached at extensions 7-2000 or 7-7233 (7-SAFE). From a call phone, the contact numbers are (909) 607-2000 or (909) 607-7233.

In the final presentation of the morning, KGI Director of Human Resources Cheryl Merritt shared information on emergency preparedness and Title IX.

During the lunch hour, students visited with a wider range of CUC organizations at the resource fair held in the Benson Auditorium lobby area. Once the students returned to the auditorium, they heard about the KGI marketing and social media efforts (@KeckGrad). The 2017-2018 student government, led by president Danielle Tessier, PharmD ’19, discussed their opportunities, elections, and other events.

KGI Associate Vice President for Corporate Partnerships Diana Bartlett provided tips on time management. From there, Ventrice Shanklin took the mic to talk about responsible education funding and repayment strategies.

To close out the afternoon, Business Operations Assistant Jessica Garcia provided information on student accounts and billing, and then Registrar Melissa Brown shared instructions on the student information system.