“I was a terrified freshman who had been in the same school for all my life. Milton felt so, so daunting,” said Elizabeth Sim ‘27, one of the many past attendees of the Transitions program. To ease the discomfort of this shift, Milton offers two programs: Transitions and New Student Orientation (NSO).
Transitions, a two-day overnight program, welcomes students of color to bond over team-building exercises, group activities, and dialogue. NSO, required for all new students, provides an introduction to academics, campus life, and school routines. Students–from 28 countries around the world and 24 states–attend the programs to form connections, begin to develop community, and find belonging at Milton.
On August 25 and 26, upperclassmen mentors arrived on campus. Boarding mentors moved into their dorms for the school year, while day student mentors temporarily stayed in the dorms during the program. Day student Ania Robinson ‘26 explained she “wanted to be a mentor because [she] love[s] meeting new people, and want[s] to help foster the same welcoming and inclusive environment that [she] experienced.” Mentors work to create a comfortable environment and guide students through activities to ease the transition to Milton.
During Transitions, bonding activities included Station Rotations–various stations for get-to-know-you exercises–with titles like Real Talk Conversations, Fabric Fashion Show, and Beatnik. These activities “helped students get a feel for the campus, and [were] also just a great way to meet people,” shared Robinson. However, Anaïs Bricout ‘26 felt that “the activities were so packed that late-night activities didn’t muster as much energy as I or my other mentors had initially hoped.” For next year’s Transitions, Bricout hopes that the mentors can facilitate connections more organically by creating a less packed schedule and dedicating more time to conversations and bonding.
While Transitions focuses on helping students of color adjust, NSO engages all new students and introduces them to the wider Milton community. Before the first day of school, students participate in activities including Shark Tank, Meaningful Artifact Storytelling, and Ready-to-Go stations, all emphasizing a central part of the Milton experience: community building and familiarity. “With NSO, students are able to identify familiar faces that they will see in classes,” Hindawi explained. “They are able to get accustomed to Milton before school, which is invaluable.”
However, new students were not the only ones who had something to gain from the program. Hindawi noted that she “learned so much about [herself] as a leader” while being a mentor.
Robinson similarly said, “I think that being a mentor and seeing people learn about Milton makes me remember why I love this place and why I am so lucky to have been at Milton.”
Together, both Transitions and NSO complement each other to provide a comprehensive welcome. As Hindawi highlights, “We truly want people to find their place at Milton. To find their home.”