COOKEVILLE, Tenn. - Tennessee Tech University welcomed its newest class of Golden Eagles to campus for the first Student Orientation, Advisement and Registration (SOAR) sessions of the summer.

The two-day, high-energy sessions kicked off on May 28-29 and will continue throughout the summer, concluding with the final session on July 29-30. Registration for remaining SOAR sessions is still available, but space is limited and admitted students are encouraged to sign up quickly to lock in their preferred dates.

During SOAR, admitted freshmen can finalize information for their academic major, set a class schedule for the fall semester, connect with new friends and learn about student life on campus.

“SOAR is always a highlight of our year and an exciting way to immerse incoming students and their parents in all that Tech has to offer,” said Karen Lykins, vice president for enrollment and communication at Tech. “Our New Student & Family Programs team works hard to deliver a SOAR experience that is both informative and engaging. Each year, we hear feedback from students who trace some of their closest college friendships or relationships with faculty mentors to a SOAR session they attended as an incoming freshman.”

SOAR sessions are led in part by a group of 17 student orientation assistants (SOAs), current Tech students who help guide incoming freshmen through the orientation process and stay connected to them even after their SOAR session ends.

Incoming Tech freshmen can learn more and register for SOAR at www.tntech.edu/soar.

Tech is ranked as a “Best National University” by U.S. News & World Report and offers more than 200 programs of study. Tech grads leave with the least debt of all public universities in the state. In fact, based on total cost and alumni earnings, Tech provides students with the highest return on investment for any public university in Tennessee, according to PayScale.