Alumni return to ETSU to celebrate POLO 40th anniversary reunion

In August, ETSU Preview and Orientation Leader Organization (POLO) celebrated its 40^th year with alumni from the past and a multitude of events.

This is the first reunion since the 30^th anniversary reunion in 2011.

Dr. Heather Levesque, director of Undergraduate Admissions at ETSU, said the organization provides leadership development training to accepted applicants who serve as a vital part of orientations and previews at the campus.

“These students apply each year to be hired into the organization,” Levesque said. “They lead our orientations all summer as well as our Preview, which is an extended orientation.”

The event kicked off with a POLO reunion drop-in at Johnson City Brewery in Boones Creek where attendees could meet fellow alumni and reconnect with old friends. The second day of the event included campus tours and lunch in the D.P. Culp Center dining hall, as well as POLO reunion class photos and a “Paint the Pride Walk,” where limited-edition POLO alumni t-shirts were distributed.

The event culminated with a POLO reunion banquet dinner. During the dinner, alumni awards were presented, and a new POLO scholarship was proposed to support student leaders in the organization.

Timothy Lewis, director of New Student and Family Programs, further elaborated on the program.

“Because it’s such a strong community, they love this campus, and they love this experience that they have. It drives them to get through no sleep and the long days to make sure the next generation has that same special experience that they had,” Lewis said.

Students that are interested in being a POLO leader can apply, after which they may go through a competitive selection process. Any undergraduate student with at least one year left at ETSU is invited to apply.

POLO is headquartered in the D.P. Culp Student Center in room 250. For more information, call 423-439-8452, or email either orientation.etsu.eduor or lewist4@etsu.edu. You can also find information on their webpage at https://www.etsu.edu/students/nsfp/polo/.