Shark Preview weekends have returned to in-person events following spring break. The first in-person Shark Preview weekend since March 2020 was held the week beginning on Mar. 10, from Thursday to Sunday. In the last academic year, Shark Preview was held entirely online.
This semester, the first seven Shark Preview weekends were held virtually, but after spring break, Shark Preview weekends will be held fully in-person on campus.
“The attendees are very excited to come to campus. So, they just feel like coming to campus will allow them to get a better feel for what NSU and our community is all about, and I would tend to agree. We try to duplicate that as possible in our virtual program,” said Ashley McCafferty, director of orientation and commuter engagement in the Office of Orientation.
Housing will be limited to off campus for the in-person Shark Preview weekends. Prospective students will no longer be housed in the residence halls for the weekend. Shark Preview attendees will be required to wear masks at all times on campus, while the current rule for students is that masks are not required. All attendees are required to show a copy of their vaccination card, or a negative PCR test taken within the last 72 hours of the start of their attendance. All vaccination records will be handled through a third-party program, Crowdcast.
“If you’re a Shark Preview attendee and you’re traveling with your parents, you must stay with your parents. For students that are travelling alone, we have contacted housing for them elsewhere, so they won’t be hosted by any current students this year,” said McCafferty.
With the past year of Shark Preview being held virtually the Office of Orientation is prepared to return to virtual Shark Preview weekends, if necessary. However, the Office of Orientation believes that the attendees will not get the most out of a virtual experience as being immersed in campus life at NSU. McCafferty likened the virtual Shark Preview to online shopping, stating that you do not know if it will truly be the right fit for you.
“[In-person Shark Preview] just gives you kind of a little better of an assessment on if NSU is the right place for you, and then as far as students that are like working Preview, they’re, again, really excited about it going to in person because it’s a super rewarding process with all the activities. There’s more of that social aspect of it. So, they get to know the attendees and all around a lot more fun involved instead of just all business,” said McCafferty.
