Every summer, the University’s campus is filled with thousands of incoming freshmen and transfer students looking to find out all they can about their future home at the Capstone. Bama Bound, an initiative designed to aid new students in becoming acclimated with college life, began May 14 and will run through August 13.

Bama Bound’s goal is to help orientate new students and to provide a guideline for how they will spend their time at the University. The sessions include structured blocks of time in which future students are taken on a tour of the campus and are told about its history; they’re also given the opportunity to meet fellow classmates, as well as upperclassmen and people in their respective colleges.

Several of the University’s incoming freshmen said the program is a resounding success.

“I found it all very informative,” said Lauren Powell, who plans to major in communication studies.

Lauren’s mother, Cathy Powell, agreed with her daughter: the process aides the sometimes tough transition from high school to college.

“All of our questions were answered,” Cathy Powell said. “We can go to the website for anything else, and it’s really got a lot there.”

In addition to familiarizing attendees with classes and schedules, Bama Bound provides a comprehensive overview of many of the services and programs offered to students at the University.

From dining hall options to student transportation, different facets of the University are broken down and explained in order to ensure an easy inclusion for students in the new school year.

“I was impressed with how our ACTion cards can be used for almost everything,” Powell said.

In an environment saturated with small details that can be easily overlooked, the Bama Bound program concentrates on missing nothing.

Josh Harris, who plans to major in business, said Bama Bound has helped him get to know the University more intimately.

“It’s been really organized and easy to understand,” Harris said. “I knew a lot about the University of Alabama coming in, but it’s been helpful, and the history probably really helps students from out of state.”

Paul Shashy, who hasn’t yet decided what his major will be, agreed that while he already knew a lot about the University, learning about its history is interesting.

“Being from Alabama, it’s a little corny,” Shashy said. “But I can see how it’s cool for other students who don’t know as much about it.”

During students’ time at Bama Bound, they are led through the orientation process in Avanti groups. The Avanti team, whose name is derived from the Italian word for “forward” or “go ahead,” is an organization founded at the University in 1975 that continues to assist new students in their quest to advance their college careers. The support they continue to provide new students reverberates in the students’ praise of the team’s efforts.

“They’ve been great,” Harris said. “Really cool and helpful.”