The change from high school to college can be scary. Several times a year, Northern Kentucky University hosts Norse Visitation Days to help decrease student fear of that transition.

NKU held the most recent of these transition-helpers Sept. 30. Days such as these are designed to introduce high school students to the many facets of college life.

This day, which began at 10 a.m., included a one-hour speech by Irelynne Estevez, who is the admissions counselor for Multicultural Recruitment. Her area of concentration is Spanish recruitment. Through many Power Point slides, Estevez weaved a picture of what NKU is all about. The presentation showed the Greek community and what it had to offer throughout the semester. It also mentioned the university’s sports programs and their successes, and also detailed each area of study that the university offered.

Estevez used this time to welcome the prospective students. She had all the students stand up and introduce themselves. Most students attending the event were from local schools.

Estevez detailed the features and area attractions at or around NKU. She mentioned area restaurants as well as the closeness of both the Cincinnati Reds and the Bengals. Estevez also pushed the local businesses such as Proctor and Gamble and Fidelity, among others. Estevez detailed the relationship the university has with these businesses and how students have taken both internships and careers there.

From there, the focus turned back to the university and all it offers its students.

She gave out information on several of the colleges, including the college of business, an internationally accredited school with high success rates. Also mentioned was the school of nursing and health professions, which has a very high job placement rating. An introduction to the office of first-year programs was next, which included a class all freshmen have to take, University 101. Estevez explained that the class, along with other programs, are designed to help freshmen integrate into the university.

Student services, such as tutoring and learning communities, were also discussed. Disability services was also outline and discussed.

Though many students came to the visitation day, the number was no greater than in years past.

“We haven’t necessarily seen a greater number of people interested in the university this semester with the visitation days,” Estevez said, “but what we have noticed is that the groups are now more geographically diverse.”

Estevez said that in the past most of the students attending these visits were from the Cincinnati, southeastern Indiana, and Northern Kentucky areas. She also explained that there are now students coming from northern Ohio and farther into Kentucky.

“I felt the visit went really well,” Estevez said. “The group was lively and seemed very interested in learning more about NKU.”

Estevez said that she’s seen groups as small as three families and as large as 40 people.

“I would say the size of this group was about average, especially for this time of the year. Our groups are usually higher around the months of September and October. Spring visitation days tend to be a little smaller.”

Estevez also believes that “the Norse Visitation Days offer a great opportunity for prospective students to learn about what NKU has to offer them.

They are also a great tool for the university to show off the qualities that make us such a great school, such as our extremely affordable tuition, small class sizes, great location and great faculty.”

Once the presentation ended, students and parents divided up into smaller groups to take tours of the campus.

Tours included all campus buildings as well as the Residential Housing area. If any students are interested in helping out with future Visitation Days, contact the Office of Admissions at x5220 about one of the dates listed to the right.