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Now in its 35th year, LINKS is a retention, enrichment and support program for first-year multicultural and disproportionately underrepresented students. The program assists LINKEES in their transition from high school to college by making them aware of the available university resources, services and offices available to them.

Alison Moore, OMSAR's assistant director for peer mentoring programs, said last yearā€™s LINKS class compiled the highest GPA during the past seven years.

ā€œLast yearā€™s LINKEES compiled a 3.037 GPA and Iā€™m hoping that this yearā€™s class can do even better,ā€ Moore said. ā€œIā€™m hoping they can break the 3.1 barrier.ā€

This yearā€™s program began on Thursday when the class of 2023 moved into their residence hall rooms and attended the University Welcome, where they were addressed by President Dr. M. Duane Nellis, Executive Vice President and Provost Dr. Chaden Djalali and Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion Dr. Gigi Secuban.

Dr. Chris Fowler, OMSARā€™s associate director for critical and underserved student success, also informed the LINKEES about the services that OMSAR and the other Office for Diversity and Inclusion offices can provide to them.

Thursday afternoonā€™s schedule featured a two-hour ā€œGetting to Know your LINKEESā€ session, where each student met their assigned peer mentor for the first time.

On Friday, the OMSAR staff hosted four student enrichment sessions for the first time:

• The ā€œBeing Black in College Student Success Panel,ā€ addressed important issues that black students often face in college. It was moderated by OMSARā€™s Vanessa Morgan, coordinator for multicultural advising and African American student success.
   
• The ā€œAppalachian and Commuter Student Success Panelā€ was a discussion about the many programs the University has in place to support students from Appalachia and those who commute from home. It was moderated by Tiffany Arnold, lecturer in the Appalachian Rural Health Institute.
   
• The ā€œBecoming a Global Citizen Study Abroad Panelā€ was a discussion about the many benefits that traveling abroad can provide students and how they can secure funding for a study abroad experience. It was moderated by Moore and Charita King, senior global program coordinator in The Office of Global Opportunities.
   
• The ā€œFinding Meaningful Workshops and Community Service Panelā€ let the LINKEES know about the many great volunteer opportunities in Athens and the surrounding community. It was hosted by Lisa Flowers-Clements, OMSAR's assistant director of academic support and advising, and Barb Harrison, assistant director for off-campus living.

Moore said the first-year sessions focused on four themes that the students will hear more about during the academic year.

ā€œThese sessions were a little sampling of the topics that are important to OMSAR and the scholars,ā€ Moore said.

At noon on Friday, the LINKEES, peer mentors and OMSAR staff posed for the class of 2023 photo on College Green before breaking for lunch. The LINKEES ended Pre-Matriculation by fall planning with their peer mentors, where they scheduled one-on-one meetings and study sessions. The peer mentors also taught the LINKEES how to best use important University programs such as Blackboard, BobcatConnect, My Ohio Portal, WellTrack, Handshake and others.

ā€œEverything went smooth during the two days and our staff did a great job with the planning,ā€ Moore said. ā€œIā€™m looking forward to another great year.ā€

For more information about LINKS, visit .