Angela Dolson - Student Coordinator

Angela M. Dolson '11
Student Orientation Coordinator
English major with a writing Concentration & studio art minor

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Good afternoon, Class of 2013, and welcome to Gettysburg College.  My name is Angela Dolson and I am a junior from Camp Hill, Pennsylvania.  I am an English major with a Writing Concentration and a Studio Art minor.  In addition, I am a sister of Alpha Delta Pi sorority, a member of both the Campus Activities Board and Gburg TV, and, most importantly, I am the Orientation Coordinator for your class. 

This past summer, I stayed in Gettysburg and worked in the Office of Student Activities and First-Year Programs planning your Orientation.  For the past three months, your arrival on campus has been something that I have been nervous and excited about.  I am nervous because I want today, as well as the next five days of Orientation, to be both an enjoyable and beneficial experience for you.  And I am excited because you are starting a new chapter in your lives and you will soon discover how truly amazing it is to be a part of the Gettysburg College community.

My Gettysburg College experience began a little differently than all of yours.  During my senior year of high school, I thought that I wanted to go to school far from home and close to a big city.  I was accepted into a university that met these requirements and, in August 2007, I packed my things and headed to the school where I thought I would be spending the next four years of my life.  However, not even a month into my first semester, I discovered that not only did I not like being close to a big city, but I also did not like being far from home.  So, with this epiphany, my transfer process began.

I decided to apply to only two schools, Gettysburg College being my number one choice.  During my first official visit to Gettysburg College, I met with Leigh-Anne Redfern, the transfer coordinator at the time.  During my visit, I bombarded her with questions about the transfer admissions process, told her all the reasons why I wanted to be a Gettysburg College student, and I even attempted to bribe her with a fresh baked batch of her favorite cookies in exchange for a guaranteed acceptance.  Not surprisingly, she laughed off my bribe and informed me that it would be another two months before I would hear from the college about my application status.  So, with that, I headed back to my big city school to anxiously await my impending acceptance or rejection.

I will never forget the day I found out I was accepted into Gettysburg College.  It was Thursday, December 6, 2007.  I was walking from my Psychology class to my Communications class when I noticed that I had a missed call from Leigh-Anne's office.  My hands started shaking and my heart started racing when I saw that she had left me a voicemail.  Afraid of what the contents of the message might be, I ducked into the nearest bathroom to listen to the voicemail.  Thankfully, the message consisted of Leigh-Anne's cheerful voice congratulating me on my acceptance into Gettysburg College.  I cannot tell you how many times I replayed the voicemail that day just to reassure myself that it was not a dream and that I had, in fact, been accepted.  At the end of the semester, I packed up my room, said a not-so-tearful good-bye to my school, and got ready to embark on a new experience.

I was so nervous on my first day of Orientation, as I'm sure many of you are right now.  My head was full of questions like 'Will I make friends?,"  "What if this school wasn't the right choice?", and "Will I be able to do great work while at Gettysburg College?".  Although I had no idea what to expect at this new school, I knew that the best way to make the most of my Gettysburg College experience was to get involved.

During my first week on campus, I began to notice flyers around the CUB and in the Residence Halls asking for students to apply to be Orientation Leaders for Fall 2008.  Later that week, while talking to my sister on the phone, I mentioned these flyers and how being an Orientation Leader was something that interested me.  "I don't know if I should apply," I said to her.  "What if I get rejected because I've only been here a short time?"  Her answer was simple:  "Angela, Gettysburg College is your oyster."

That night, after my conversation with my sister, I filled out the application and, a few months later, was asked to be an Orientation Leader for the Class of 2012.   Then, in December 2008, I was offered the position of Student Orientation Coordinator for the Class of 2013, which I gladly accepted.

Two years ago, had I know that simply taking a chance and applying to be an Orientation Leader would take me to where I am today, I never  would have had any doubts about applying.  This experience has opened so many doors for me.  I now plan on attending graduate school and obtaining a Master's degree in Higher Education Administration and, eventually, pursuing a career on a college campus in a job similar to what I am doing right now.

In conclusion, my words of encouragement to you are simple:  Gettysburg College is your oyster.  Today, each of you is a grain of sand and the many opportunities and experiences you will have at Gettysburg College will shape you into the pearl you are meant to be.  Don't be afraid to put yourself out there and try new things.  No matter what the outcome, you will learn from each new experience and, in four years, you will leave this campus equipped with the educational and social experiences that will prepare you for all of life's obstacles.