{"id":227207,"date":"2026-06-24T21:29:07","date_gmt":"2026-06-24T21:29:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/227207\/"},"modified":"2026-06-24T21:29:07","modified_gmt":"2026-06-24T21:29:07","slug":"nso-excited-to-meet-you-meet-2026-orientation-leader-al-alvarez","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/227207\/","title":{"rendered":"‘(N)SO excited to meet you’: Meet 2026 orientation leader Al Alvarez"},"content":{"rendered":"

DUNMORE, Pa. \u2014 Starting college can bring a mix of excitement and nerves, and student leaders play a key role in helping first-year students<\/a> navigate that transition. As part of Penn State Scranton\u2019s efforts to welcome the class of 2030, it’s introducing its New Student Orientation (NSO) Program<\/a> leaders through a series of Q&As.<\/p>\n

New Student Orientation leader Al Alvarez, a third-year student in business management and marketing major at Penn State Scranton, shares his experiences and advice for incoming students.<\/p>\n

Q: Why did you choose Penn State Scranton?<\/p>\n

Alvarez: After spending years serving in the Navy, I wanted a school that felt welcoming and community oriented while I worked toward my degree. Penn State Scranton gives me the opportunity to continue my education close to home while being surrounded by supportive staff, professors and students who genuinely want to see each other succeed.<\/p>\n

Q: What\u2019s one piece of advice you\u2019d give to new students?<\/p>\n

Alvarez: Don\u2019t be afraid to ask questions or put yourself out there. College can feel overwhelming at first, but getting involved, talking to classmates, and building connections makes a huge difference. Everyone\u2019s on the road to figuring things out together.<\/p>\n

Q: Why should new students get involved on campus?<\/p>\n

Alvarez: Getting involved<\/a> helps you feel connected and makes campus feel like more than just a place to attend classes. It\u2019s a great way to meet people, learn new skills and create memories outside the classroom.<\/p>\n

Q: What\u2019s one must-have item or life hack for surviving your first year of college? <\/p>\n

Alvarez: A good color-coded planner or calendar app. Between assignments, family responsibilities, and work, staying organized is a lifesaver. Writing things down helps reduce stress and keeps you ahead of deadlines.<\/p>\n

Q: What\u2019s been your favorite Penn State Scranton memory so far?<\/p>\n

Alvarez: One of my favorite memories has been working with classmates on group and club projects. Hanging out and hearing different perspectives from people of all backgrounds has made each of these experiences really meaningful and enjoyable.<\/p>\n

Q: How has being an NSO Leader impacted your college experience?<\/p>\n

Alvarez: Being an NSO Leader has allowed me to help students feel comfortable and welcomed during an important transition in their lives. I enjoy being someone students can talk to and rely on, especially because I understand how intimidating starting college can feel.<\/p>\n

Q: What\u2019s one thing you wish you knew before starting college?<\/p>\n

Alvarez: I wish I knew that it\u2019s okay not to have everything figured out right away. Everyone moves at their own pace, and success in college is about consistency, effort, and learning from our mistakes along the way.<\/p>\n

New Student Orientation<\/p>\n

New Student Orientation<\/a> is designed to help incoming students and their families<\/a> get to know Penn State Scranton. This interactive event covers everything from academics and advising<\/a> to financial aid<\/a>, billing and student services<\/a>. Stay tuned for the rest of the series as NSO leaders introduce themselves and share their tips for making the most of the Penn State experience.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"DUNMORE, Pa. \u2014 Starting college can bring a mix of excitement and nerves, and student leaders play a…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":227208,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[178,180,179],"class_list":["post-227207","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-scranton","tag-scranton","tag-scranton-headlines","tag-scranton-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/227207","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=227207"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/227207\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/227208"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=227207"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=227207"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=227207"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}