Boiler Cold Rush ushers in new spring beginners during the program's second year

Last updated: February 5th, 2022

The Purdue Orientation Programs team completed its second successful offering of Boiler Cold Rush this past January for spring beginners. This year’s Boiler Cold Rush program, which took place in January 2021, incorporated a few changes after its launch in 2021.

For example, this year's program featured small social mingles, check-in activities featuring campus partners, and more small group reflection opportunities. Although the inaugural program also served second-year students who started their Purdue experience online, this year’s program included only first-year and transfer students.

“We believe the program was very successful this year,” said Cameron Hoyt, assistant director of Orientation Programs. “Based on assessment data, we know 92% were either satisfied or very satisfied with their BCR experience in 2021. This year, 96% were satisfied or very satisfied with their experience.”

The ongoing pandemic presented a few complications during planning. The dining courts could not be used this year and the increasing COVID-19 variant spikes prevented some students from attending the program.

Despite the COVID-19 related challenges, many students had great success from this program.

“We had a few students who came to Boiler Cold Rush and still did not have their class schedule finalized. With classes starting on that Monday, we wanted to get them assistance as soon as possible,” said Hoyt. Hoyt and Orientation Programs Director Craig Johnson connected these students with their advisors to ensure that by the end of Boiler Cold Rush all students had their finalized class schedules and felt prepared for the semester.

The resources from Boiler Cold Rush assisted another incoming student. According to Hoyt, a student had been staying in a hotel waiting for his housing assignment and was unsure who he should talk to about this situation. The Orientation Programs connected him with University Residences and they assigned him to a residence hall, where the Boiler Cold Rush leaders assisted him in the moving process.

Following Boiler Cold Rush, staff in Orientation Programs hope the BCR experience continues to serve students in positive ways.

“After we have finished assessing the program through participant surveys, we will have a better idea of what to focus on next year,” Hoyt says.

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