New students experienced a rite of passage in early August—the first-year retreat—with a new twist.
This year, in addition to the traditional team-building activities and inspirational lectures, the students participated in a variety of community service projects. Students were able to choose from eight volunteer experiences at local organizations including the San Francisco Food Bank, San Francisco Botanical Garden Society, Friends of the Urban Forest, GLIDE Memorial, Golden Gate Conservancy, San Francisco Parks and Recreation Department and the San Francisco Zoo.
[pullquote]“Our first-year retreat has always been a team building and bonding experience for new students, but this year we also wanted to incorporate an aspect of giving back to the local community,” said Dr. Eddie Hayashida, associate dean for administration.[/pullquote]
Several representatives from the University’s MOVE (Mountain, Ocean, Valley, Experience) program were on hand to help organize the dental student volunteers. MOVE is an initiative designed to welcome all new Pacific students to the University community through participation in experiential learning and service projects.
