One of the first people a new student meets at Loyola is their Evergreen: an upperclassman committed to supporting new students and acting as a resource throughout their first year.

Evergreens are student leaders who are dedicated to guiding and helping students when they become a Greyhound.

Evergreens lead Summer Orientation at Loyola (when enrolled students and their parents visit campus for a two-day program in the summer before their first year) and Fall Welcome Weekend (when new students move into the residence halls before the start of the fall semester).

But there’s more to an Evergreen’s role than helping first-year students move into their residence halls, handing out nametags, and leading ice breakers…

Nearly all universities have an orientation program for new students. But few offer each incoming student a seasoned upperclassman to support his or her transition to college—from helping them register for classes to sharing tips for living well with roommates to supporting them throughout their first-year experience.

Their goal: to help the newest Greyhounds have an enjoyable and inspiring first year.

They start by planning at least two events for new students during their first semester at Loyola. These events—which might be a night of cosmic bowling, or a Sunday afternoon hiking Gunpowder Falls State Park, or a break from midterms with pizza and a movie in the students’ residence hall—provide the opportunity to make connections outside of class and, often, the chance to explore beyond Loyola’s campus.

Evergreens play an integral role in Messina, planning and facilitating weekly Enrichment Sessions with their Messina team (which includes a professor and a professional staff member) in order to ease the transition to college and to life at Loyola. These Enrichment Sessions cover a vast array of topics, from conflict management and class registration to social justice and diversity.

Evergreens also help organize excursions for their Messina classes, which might be a visit to a museum, a show, dinner at a professor’s home, or a trip to a local attraction, like Baltimore’s Miracle on 34th Street in the nearby Hampden neighborhood.

Evergreens are available throughout the year for their first-year students. Many first-year students take advantage of the chance to have a one-on-one meeting, to grab a cup of coffee or lunch and talk about challenges or questions that arise, and to speak to an older student about his or her personal experience at Loyola, how to get involved, or which classes they might consider taking in their second year.

Your Evergreen is a friendly face on campus. A trusted resource. Someone who is happy to share their experience, and the ins ands and outs of life at Loyola. Ultimately, your Evergreen is an important contact for your beginning as a Greyhound… and beyond.