The Class of 2013

By now, the students of the class of 2013 have begun to immerse themselves into the culture of Old Dominion University and are discovering what it takes to be successful in this next big step on their educational path. If they have heeded the advice of President John Broderick, which he issued at Freshman Convocation, they have been attending classes regularly and keeping up with their assignments during this critical first semester – as well as looking out for one another.

ODU’s freshmen hail from 36 states and 27 countries, and a whopping 73 percent of the class of 2,700-plus live on campus, evidence of the transformation that has been taking place to make Old Dominion a more residential university.

Academically, 205 freshmen were in the top 10 percent of their high school class (10 were valedictorians and six were salutatorians). As for the full complement of freshmen, the average high school GPA was 3.3 and the average SAT score, 1065.

Profiled on these pages are five freshmen who tell why they chose Old Dominion, what they are looking forward to during their first year at the university and what they hope to achieve. At least one of them has already distinguished herself on the playing field. Through September, Ashlee Coutu had scored three game-winning goals for the women’s soccer team and was the leading scorer with 15 points.

MARY CASTEEN
Chesapeake, Virginia

MAJOR: French

AGE: 19

WHY I CHOSE ODU: “I think it’s a great university; some of my family went here, and they gave me a full ride!”

WHAT I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO MY FRESHMAN YEAR: “I am looking forward to the awesome gym, taking part in intervarsity and, of course, football games!”

MY FIRST WEEK AT ODU: “After having attended ODU for one week, I have to say that the one thing that stood out was that I have met so many different people. The campus is extremely diverse and I meet someone new every day. Everyone is always really helpful and friendly, even my professors. I am so excited about the upcoming year and all of the opportunities that ODU has provided, and will continue to provide for me.”

ASHLEE COUTU
Lebanon, Connecticut

MAJOR: Speech Pathology

AGE: 18

WHY I CHOSE ODU: “I chose to attend ODU for a few reasons. The university has an extremely welcoming and friendly campus, with different sports and activities to participate in. You’re always staying busy! Also, because of the Division I athletics, I can play women’s soccer and compete at a high level. The university also offered my major, so by choosing ODU I can earn a great education and prepare for my future occupation.”

WHAT I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO MY FRESHMAN YEAR: “I am looking forward to making several new friends, learning how to live and learn independently, earning a master’s degree in speech pathology and continuing to excel and compete on the women’s soccer team.”

MY FIRST WEEK AT ODU: “I have been at ODU since Aug. 5 (for preseason soccer). For the first few weeks I was here, I was able to find out where all my classes were before school started, which was very helpful when Aug. 31 came around! I also began to develop a sense of comfort on campus. The faculty and staff, as well as the resident assistants in the dorms, were very welcoming and friendly, which made everything a lot less overwhelming.”

RYAN MATTHEW REAMES
South Riding, Virginia

MAJOR: Business/Undecided

AGE: 18

WHY I CHOSE ODU: “I chose ODU because I love the area and the campus. I spent a lot of time down here for school functions when I was the president of my school DECA chapter and I am very familiar with the area. I also wanted to go to a large school where I could meet a lot of new people.”

WHAT I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO MY FRESHMAN YEAR: “I am looking forward to figuring out what I want to do with my life. I’m only majoring in business right now because I took business courses in high school. It could change any day if I come across something else I really want to do. I am also looking forward to meeting a lot of new people, gaining new experiences and having a great time.”

MY FIRST WEEK AT ODU: “My most drastic observation about the transition from high school to Old Dominion University is that I am now self-motivated to finish my homework thoroughly and accurately. In high school I could complete assignments in 10 minutes, it didn’t matter if it was right or wrong. Now when I do my homework, I have to pay close attention to detail because I have nobody walking me through every problem that I have a question about. I have to be much more proactive about finding out what assignments I have due via Blackboard, which has been a very helpful resource for staying organized. Eliminating distractions and working in a quiet environment have also played a major role in being self-motivated to do my homework.”

JOHN TOO
Kerichol, Kenya

MAJOR: Electrical Engineering

AGE: 20

WHY I CHOSE ODU: “I chose ODU for several reasons. One, it would offer me a platform to explore my intellectual abilities, both academically and socially. I hope to venture into new opportunities that come along throughout my entire years of study. I was privileged to be awarded a scholarship. Lastly, there are many Kenyans who live in Virginia and that will make me feel at home always.”

WHAT I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO MY FRESHMAN YEAR: “I am looking forward to having a great academic experience, one that will not only equip me with knowledge, but also good morals and discipline, which will enable me to fit into any society. I expect after my four-year experience at ODU I will be an asset to my motherland.”

MY FIRST WEEK AT ODU: “The subjects we took back home were predetermined, but in the U.S. you get to choose what you want to take in a particular semester. The lectures are wonderful and I interact with the students well. I have gotten used to the teachers’ American accent, something I am happy about. The [PowerPoint] presentations are a new thing for me. I am grateful for this opportunity to study at ODU, and I appreciate the help I have received from the international admissions office. I thank my parents and family for the support they have given me, and I will ensure that I make them proud. Going to school and getting a quality education is a privilege many don’t have. In Kenya, many wish they could have even a basic education, but there is a lot that limits them; hunger and inadequate facilities are just some of the issues facing us.”

CAMERYN RICHARDSON
Newport News, Virginia

MAJOR: Theatre Education

AGE: 18

WHY I CHOSE ODU: “The availability of a theatre education major was one of the big reasons I chose ODU. I also chose ODU because of the great study abroad opportunities, which I plan on taking advantage of; the vibrant atmosphere of Norfolk; the promise of mental stimulation; and the abundance of subjects, activities and events available to me.”

WHAT I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO MY FRESHMAN YEAR: “I’m looking forward to making new friends, having new experiences every day, independence and living in Norfolk. I get to study things in college that I otherwise wouldn’t be able to, like production technology and sociology (both classes I’m taking this fall), and I get to dive into my field with classes that go far above and beyond anything I’ve ever taken (like The Theatre Experience, another class I’m taking this semester). Also, I will be living on campus, which is exciting. (I get to meet a whole building of new people!)”

MY FIRST WEEK AT ODU: “College is, for some of us at least, exactly what we’ve heard about. It’s a chance to come into yourself as a person, as a member of your field, and/or as a student. If you weren’t very social in high school – which I wasn’t – you can change that now. There’s a huge group of people here in the same ‘new kid’ boat that need to make new friends just as badly as you. If you never got to play around in your major, now you have the resources to do so. You have professors who are highly educated on and passionate about the subject, libraries with more extensive collections, and new classmates with the same interests to explore. And while in college, we face many more responsibilities. We don’t have teachers taking care of us anymore or, for some, our parents.”