JMU Orientation and Transition

10/14/2026

Clipboard reveal or OOO AAA? Favorite letter of the JMU cheer? Apply or apply? See what OPAs Lily, Ian, and Rae had to say on this week’s OPA Q&A!

10/12/2026

Ever wondered what a day in the life of an OPA looks like? Head over to our Instagram Story to see a day in OPA Alex’s life!

You can also view this in our profile highlights under OPA DITL.

10/07/2026

This week, we introduce you to our series, OPA Q&A! OPAs Lily, Ian, and Rae explain what being an OPA has meant to them.

Use Fall Break to fill out your application to be a 2027 Orientation Peer Adviser! Use the link in our bio to learn more and apply.

10/05/2026

OPAs Lily and Kathleen were friends before the OPA role, but their friend group grew larger by the end of the summer.

Have a friend you want to apply with? Shout them out down below!

10/01/2026

My name is Caroline Becker, and I was an Orientation Peer Adviser this past summer! It was truly the best summer of my life, and being an OPA came with so many unforgettable perks. Let me take you through a few of them.

Don’t forget that the Orientation Peer Adviser application is open and you can apply today through Thursday, October 29!

The people are everything. From spring training to living in Grace Street Apartments, Orientation, and Weeks of Welcome, my closest friendships came from this role and they’re still some of my favorite people today.

One of my favorite OPA traditions is clipboards! Every OPA is assigned a coworker to make a personalized clipboard for, decorating it with their interests, hobbies, and all the things they love. It’s such a fun way to show appreciation for one another, and it also means we get to lead every Orientation day in style.

If public speaking scares you now, it won’t for long. I stepped out of my comfort zone in this role, from leading the JMU Cheer, running icebreakers, dancing on stage, and sharing my JMU story throughout every day.

Every single day brought a new group of incoming students. Getting to help them feel excited (and a little less nervous) about becoming a Duke was easily the most rewarding part. The best feeling is seeing my students around campus and getting updates on their time at JMU!

Every OPA is placed into a Compass Group! These are smaller groups within the team that give you the chance to build even stronger connections. My Compass Group was Yellow, and we called ourselves the Minions! We even went to see the new Minions & Monsters movie together during the summer, and it became one of my favorite memories.

Orientation doesn’t end when the summer does. During Weeks of Welcome, I got to mentor and lead my incredible team of Hillside FROGs during move-in with my co-OPA, Alyssa, and help welcome thousands of new Dukes to campus.

Your camera roll will never recover. Sunrises before Orientation, matching polos, weekend hikes, Grace Street hangouts, and hundreds of photos with people you’ll never forget.

09/28/2026

The Orientation Peer Adviser application is now LIVE! 🤩 If you want to make a difference and support the next incoming class of Dukes, now is your chance to apply.

The application will stay open throughout the month of October and close on Thursday, October 29. Apply today at https://brnw.ch/21x60U2.

09/24/2026

The time has finally come! This is your chance to make an impact on the next incoming class of Dukes. Applications to be an Orientation Peer Adviser will open on Monday, September 28.

Are you ready for your next adventure? Apply and find out! 🧭

09/01/2026

Sending a huge thank you to our First yeaR Orientation Guides, Orientation Peer Advisers, and everyone on the JMU Orientation and Transition team for welcoming and guiding our newest Dukes as they begin their journey at JMU!

08/24/2026

weeks of welcome so far... 💜💛🤩

08/24/2026