The Sinclair Virtual Spring Affair Open House will take place on Presidents Day, Feb. 15. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Spring Affair is not able to occur in person. Instead, attendants will be able to interact with Sinclair representatives over Zoom.
The Spring Affair allows people to learn about Sinclair as a school and the programs that they offer. The event will be divided into two major sessions. The first will be held from 10 a.m. to 11:10 a.m. and the second from 11:15 am to noon.
The first session will open up the event and allow attendants to learn about educational and career opportunities.
“The first session is definitely for any student who isn’t sure what program they are searching for, or they already know what program and want to get a little more information,” said Admissions Counselor Morgan Hoog.
When students register for the event, they will be asked to choose which academic program they are interested in. At the affair, the students will be assigned to the Zoom session that their chosen program falls under. A link will be emailed to the student, directing them to the meeting about their program. If a program was not chosen, links for every meeting will be sent to students for their selection.
The email will also include a timeline of the different sessions. To receive the email, students have to RSVP to the event. They will also get a reminder through a phone call, text, or email. If students decide to attend the day of the event, there will be room for accommodation. Phones and emails will be monitored so if students reach out, they can be given the links and information needed to participate.
Some of the topics discussed will be admission requirements, especially for programs that are competitive or under Health Sciences. Deans or Assistant Deans that represent the following divisions will be present:
- Liberal Arts
- Social Sciences
- Health Sciences
- Science, Mathematics, and Engineering
- Business & Public Services
Even if a specific program does not have a representative at the event, students can still ask questions that the deans or admission counselors will help answer or refer them to someone who can. The question box on Zoom will be available for students to use during the event. Students’ contact information will be collected, and staff will also follow up with them later.
The students will also receive an admissions welcome during this first part of the event. Sinclair counselors will be available in different rooms to discuss different areas of Sinclair.
“One of our counselors will be in each room for the student to talk about the flexibility of Sinclair with our many campuses, transferability of credits [and] affordability with costs and scholarships,” said Hoog.
Following this, they will discuss the next actions that the students can take. The second session will discuss areas such as applications, financial aid, course placement, and academic advising. A link to the FAFSA Workshop will be shared in the Zoom chat during the financial aid portion for students who would like more assistance with the form.
Transfer options will also be discussed. Schools such as Wright State University and the University of Dayton will especially be focused on because they are closely embedded with Sinclair’s programs. Other schools that have been added as transfer partners to Sinclair will also be discussed, including the University of Kentucky, Franklin University, Ohio University, and Ohio State University. Links to Transfer 101 sessions will be shared in the Zoom chat for students to learn even more.
To make the event more individually focused, Sinclair will send out emails to students who attend with the next steps to take. Students can submit questions during the event through the Zoom chat. They will also be provided with contact information for staff. A survey will also be sent out after the event is over.
“Our spring and fall affair[s] [are] really for students who are in any part of their enrollment process,” said Hoog. “We get to talk with a lot of students and make sure they’re on the right pathway.”
Sinclair departments and organizations have made pre-recorded videos for the school’s website. This will allow students to get an understanding that they normally would receive by talking with staff at the in-person event. The videos are available now and will continue to be after the event.
Recordings from the event will also be posted on the Spring Affair web page for students to view later. The videos may take a few days to be posted, however. Videos from the fall affair can be watched now. The spring event page also includes various resource links on the left side, including Admissions, Student Support Services, Financial Aid, and Transfer Opportunities.
Virtual tours are available on the Sinclair website. To view, students have to click on the button that says, “Start a Virtual Tour.” Viewers are able to see the many different areas and buildings of the Sinclair campus. Audio that explains the purpose and services of the buildings is also included. Staff at the Spring Affair will also attempt to be at campus, or at least use a Zoom background photo so that students can see it as well.
“I think there’s a lot less emphasis [on]…actually being on campus,” said Admissions Counselor Tabitha Shuey. “Now, I feel like there is more of concern about talking to people live. More people are asking about wanting to be online and virtual versus really wanting to get their feet on campus. Get[ting] information like this [through video chat] and getting information from live people, I think has been successful.”
While everyone is welcome, the event is targeted at prospective students, especially those who are in high school or have recently graduated. High school students are encouraged to come to the event as Sinclair tours are not available at this time due to the pandemic.
Adult students who are returning or new to Sinclair can also find out information about the school. Many adult students have already been seen to register for the event.
“We’re seeing a lot more of the adult focus, which I think means that a lot of students who maybe decided not to come back right as COVID happened…[are] coming back now,” said Hoog.
Current students who have started within the past year might find it helpful to learn about the school or meet people since classes have been mostly virtual or online.
“It’s really open for anybody who is just exploring where they’re going to go,” said Hoog.
The Parent and Family session will take place later in the day from 6 to 7 p.m. This year will be the first time this type of session has occurred at the Spring Affair. It will allow relatives of students to find out more information about Sinclair. Topics will include the top five things that Sinclair parents should know, the impact of the coronavirus, and how the school is taking precautions as well as diversity. Parents will also be able to ask any questions that they may have. Some questions have been sent in already and Sinclair staff is prepared to answer those.
“I know this is still a time when kids are still making a decision about where they want to go to school,” said Shuey. “Parents may be missing some of these information sessions because they are at work, or what have you, and with not being able to come in and talk to someone…we wanted to have something specifically for parents’ concerns.”
Several different staff members will be present at this session. Many of whom who have had their own children attend Sinclair:
“I think sometimes parents don’t know what to ask because they’ve never been through this before,” said Hoog. “[It will be] very conversational. [They can] hear from those who really have [had a child attend college] and work at the institution [that] know what’s important.”
The session will be targeted towards families whose children are still in high school. It will also be open for parents of those who have already graduated but are involved with their child’s education. Parents who are interested in returning to school themselves may also benefit from the event. Everyone is welcome to attend, however.
“We like to see parents involved because everyone needs that support,” said Shuey.
To register and read more about the events, those interested can visit the Spring Affair webpage on Sinclair’s website:
There may be more events in the future for students who are currently enrolling or thinking about doing so. It is hoped that in May and June that in-person events can begin to take place at the campus again. These events could include those where students can receive help in finishing their enrollment process.
Rebekah Davidson
Intern