On Sunday, April 27th, IUHPFL hosted the pre-departure orientation for our 2025 cohort! Attendance to Orientation is mandatory for all students as well as at least one parent/guardian. The day includes essential information about health, safety, and well-being, icebreakers within each team, and opportunities to interact with program peers and instructors. Let’s take a moment to walk through the day in case you missed it.
We kicked off the morning bright and early at 9:00 AM as students and parents began arriving. Everyone was invited to enjoy a light breakfast before the day's activities got underway. Students had the opportunity to represent their hometown on our Indiana map and even snap a few photos at our photo booth!
At 10:00 we began our first session with both students and parents. During this session, we covered our Honor Code, 4 pillars, and important safety tips for navigating life abroad. To wrap up the session, students participated in a “Battle of the Sites” quiz, testing their knowledge on IUHPFL core principles.
After a brief break, students and parents separated into site-specific breakout rooms at 11:30. This gave everyone the opportunity to meet their peers and instructors for their upcoming trip. During these sessions, instructors provided important site-specific information and shared insights about life onsite. Students learned what a typical day abroad looks like as well as what to pack. Additionally, students and parents heard valuable stories from alumni, who shared their personal experiences with the program. Students and parents were invited to ask questions.
At 12:30 PM, students and parents split for lunch. Students spent time with their teams, getting to know one another better. After lunch, students participated in a series of team-building activities, conducted both in English and their target language. After all, it’s IUHPFL. Of course, there had to be some time spent in the target language!
While that was going on, parents got the opportunity to ask parents of alumni questions about their students' time abroad. It seemed like a great way to calm nerves and get excited for their students! Thank you to alum-parents for volunteering their time to help out!
After the parent panel, everyone came back together again for one last session. We wrapped up with some closing remarks, crowning Graz the winner of the quiz competition, and an amazing video Raylen put together to recap the orientation day!
And that’s a wrap on Orientation 2025! It was so great to meet this cohort and prepare them for this summer! We can’t wait to receive and share great pictures and stories from our students this year!
