College of the Ozarks welcomes 318 new students this fall by immersing them in Character Camp, the College’s distinctive weeklong orientation program.

College of the Ozarks welcomed 318 new students this fall by immersing them in Character Camp, the College’s distinctive weeklong orientation program.

Character Camp introduces incoming students to the mission, vision, and five pillars of the College — Christian, Academic, Vocational, Patriotic, and Cultural. The program emphasizes character development, resilience, and community, while providing students with a support system that carries them into their first year.

Each participant is placed into a “family” led by two upperclassmen, known as “Mom and Pop.” This fall, senior public relations major Micah Jacobs and senior marketing major Noah Lofgren served as “parents” for Family 14.

Each participant is placed into a “family” led by two upperclassmen, known as “Mom and Pop.” This fall, senior public relations major Micah Jacobs and senior marketing major Noah Lofgren served as “parents” for Family 14. Both have guided Character Camp families’ multiple times before, crediting the program with shaping their own college experiences.

“As a freshman, the week of Character Camp changed my whole attitude towards College of the Ozarks,” Jacobs said. “I knew it was going to be an academic experience, but I didn’t realize how strong the community would be. The program made the transition to a new place much smoother.”

The orientation blends faith-based reflection, team-building activities, and campus traditions such as walking through The Empty Cross™, symbolizing students’ commitment to their academic journey through the lens of the Christian worldview.

The orientation blends faith-based reflection, team-building activities, and campus traditions such as walking through The Empty Cross™, symbolizing students’ commitment to their academic journey through the lens of the Christian worldview.

“Moving into a new place with little information is daunting,” said Samantha Poole, director of Character Camp. “This program doesn’t just orient students to campus — it orients them to a community and a new home.”

Character Camp introduces incoming students to the mission, vision, and five pillars of the College — Christian, Academic, Vocational, Patriotic, and Cultural. The program emphasizes character development, resilience, and community, while providing students with a support system that carries them into their first year.

With a 90 percent retention rate, College of the Ozarks credits programs like Character Camp in helping students stay engaged and connected.

“Character Camp is a substantive student orientation program that includes content from our Academic, Vocational, Christian, Patriotic, and Cultural Pillars,” said Dr. Stacy McNeill, dean of academic enrichment. “It is an important, distinct first opportunity for complete immersion in what College of the Ozarks is really about.”

For students like Lofgren, that immersion makes all the difference. “When somebody realizes that they are a part of a community, they want to stay,” he said. “Character Camp shows them that they do matter.”