Evaluation of Welcoming Ceremony on Removing Challenges of Freshmen's Transitional phase

Preparing Welcoming Ceremony and Orientation programs for freshmen acknowledge to work as an effective approach to decrease social, academic and emotional stressors. This study conducted to evaluate the role of Welcoming Ceremony to resolve freshmen's transitional-phase challenges. A special working group, including faculties and students, was formed to conduct Welcoming Ceremony and Orientation programs at Kashan School of Allied Health Professions. To evaluate the role of Welcoming ceremony a cross– sectional study was carried out through a distribution of a questionnaire among 92 newly admitted students (freshmen) in 1391. Majority of freshmen about 91 (97.8%) agreed that Welcoming Ceremony served as linkage between college student and university; 90 (97.8%) believed that Welcoming Ceremony assisted them to adjust with the university; 84 (90.3%) agreed that Welcoming Ceremony enhanced sense of belonging to university. In attention to the result of this study and in regarding to the importance of Welcoming Ceremony on all stages of university transitional phases, developing a specialized administrative unit in order to enhance awareness and capability of freshmen, advisors, senior students, and university staffs regarding to transitional challenges at Vice Chancellor for Students and Cultural is advisable.