The start of the academic year at Southern Nazarene University is always an exciting time, and New Student Institute (NSI) sets the tone for incoming freshmen and transfer students. NSI serves as a dynamic introduction to meet new friends, explore campus organizations, and grow spiritually.
For many students, NSI is more than orientations–it’s a lively, immersive experience that highlights what makes SNU unique. Senior pre-law major Noelle Brezillac reflected on her role at NSI, co-running booths for Oklahoma Intercollegiate Legislature (OIL) and Club Cosmos. “My endgoal was to get more sign-ups to both clubs, especially OIL. I want more fellow college students to experience such an amazing mock government event with their peers,” she said. Brezillac has been involved with OIL since her freshman year and enjoys engaging with students interested in state-level government processes. She hopes to see the delegation grow while making the most of her senior year.
NSI isn’t just about clubs and organizations–it’s about forming meaningful relationships and fostering personal growth. Freshman marketing major Trynitie Krout shared, “My favorite part of NSI was meeting new people and getting to experience fun moments, like table surfing at Siren or learning new dances at Southern Supper.” Echoing that sentiment, freshman mass communication Jackson Huffman added, “Building connections during big events, such as Siren and Southern Supper, was an incredible experience.”
For students like Krout and Huffman, NSI also strengthened their spiritual journey. Trynitie said, “It was great to meet other believers from around the world. I really loved getting to worship together on Sunday morning and hear everyone’s testimony.” Huffman added, “It grew my faith by just listening to other people’s stories and being inspired to follow God closely, no matter what my situation is.”
Mentorship plays a critical role in NSI as well, helping students navigate their first days at SNU. Krout explained, “My mentors not only answered my questions and gave advice, but they helped me feel more connected to the campus community.” Huffman also appreciated the guidance, noting, “My mentors were extremely informative and always answered my questions while having an amazing attitude while doing it!”
Overall, NSI provided students with an unforgettable kickoff to their college journey. Krout summarized her experience as “a great weekend of fun and fellowship.” She added, “It really confirmed that SNU is the place God wants me to be. The experience made me even more excited to start classes and to continue getting involved.” Huffman agreed, reflecting on how meaningful the weekend was. “I made many new connections,” he said. “I also found leaders in my life I can depend on and truly came to understand how deeply rooted SNU is in its faith and dedication to God.”
From club fairs to worship sessions, NSI helps students step confidently into their college life–connected, inspired, and ready to embrace the SNU community.
Photos by: SNU Creative