Helping New Wildcats Get Tech Ready
UITS teams introduce information technology services to new students before the fall semester begins.
Technology is part of nearly every step of the college experience. Students use their NetID and 2-factor authentication to access university systems, rely on email for official university communications, connect to UAWiFi, use software for coursework and access online tools to register for classes, complete assignments and view grades.
For students arriving at the University of Arizona for the first time, that can be a lot to navigate.
That’s why UITS teams are connecting with students to help them learn about the technology and support available to them before the first day of class. UITS has a long-standing partnership with Orientation & New Student Transitions and participates annually in Destination Arizona (DAZ) orientation activities for new students.
This year, several UITS teams collaborated on opportunities to connect directly with students and their families. The Tech Zones staff who are part of Enterprise Support led by director Lizeth Mora and University Libraries ES operations manager David Mayhew worked with UITS Communications and Marketing’s Lisa Stage to coordinate DAZ participation.
New Student Activities
Destination Arizona
Throughout Destination Arizona, students can participate in Goosechase, a treasure hunt activity where students can download an app on their phone and submit photos, GPS location check-ins or answer questions. For UITS, the Main Library Tech Zone has a poster recommending what students should have on their phone to be ready for school. Collecting this treasure hunt stop teaches students where the Tech Zone is and gives them the opportunity to get assistance while they’re there with adding apps like Duo Mobile, the U of A app and Outlook email to their phones.
Welcome Bags were handed out to all new undergraduates from the Welcome Tent on the Mall, Thursday, Aug. 20. The bag included a magnet from UITS directing students to studettech.arizona.edu, a one-stop resource for essential student technology information and support.
The Business Fair was the next stop for the new students and their families, in Bear Down Gym. Tables from around 60 university departments gave students and parents the opportunity to get more information and ask questions.
The UITS table, staffed by David, Lisa and Tech Zone student worker Abby Lefevre, was packed with students for three hours straight, and still had steady visitors for the final two hours. Common questions included connecting to UAWiFi, how to get software, and what the Tech Zone services are and where it’s located. Swag giveaways directed students to studenttech.arizona.edu.
Additionally, the Enterprise GIS team had a table where they demonstrated interactive maps to students, including a Destination Arizona event application. Students were especially interested in the Classroom Mapper feature available for students who log in to the Public Map’s “Map My” component, allowing them to view their class schedules and related classrooms directly on the map.
The CatCard office was also at the Business Fair, encouraging students who got a physical CatCard to switch to the mobile version. Many students liked the convenience of having their CatCard available in Apple Wallet or Google Wallet.
On Saturday, Aug. 22, there was a Mixer open house in the Tech Zone, giving students another incentive to find the Tech Zone location, learn more about what it does, and get their tech ready for the first week of school.
Graduate Orientation
New graduate students had a separate orientation on Wednesday, Aug. 19. Chris Reidy, research computing manager, staffed a table to promote high-performance computing services to new masters and doctoral students. From supercomputer compute time at no charge, to HPC consulting, to visualization consulting, to resources for researchers working with regulated data, UITS provides valuable services to the next generation of researchers.
All the staff who participated in orientation activities were glad they had the opportunity to do so. UITS provides a lot of services for students and wants students to know about those services to support their journeys. And the students were happy to know about the resources and support available to them, making them feel more confident in their readiness to start the year.
Incoming first-year students and transfer students stream in to Bear Down Gym to attend the Destination Arizona Business Fair.
Athena Mitera and Mario Vasquez encourage students to switch to a digital CatCard at the DAZ Business Fair.
Maree Archuleta and Naveed Ahmed demonstrate Enterprise GIS’s Interactive Campus Map at the DAZ Business Fair.
New students participating in the Goosechase treasure hunt can take a photo of the Wildcat Phone Challenge poster in the Main Library Tech Zone.
Abby Lefevre and David Mayhew inform students how to find the IT services available to them at the UITS table in the DAZ Business Fair.
Chris Reidy staffs a table to explain Research Computing services to new masters and doctoral students at Graduate Orientation.