Connections Fair Gives New USU Students Sense of Belonging, Community

A student standing in front of a table at the Connections Fair, with other students around.

By Dillon Parker


From student affinity groups to medical interest groups to organizations from the surrounding community, incoming students at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) have a diverse array of options for establishing connections at USU.  

With so many distinct groups, it can be hard for newcomers to learn and familiarize themselves  with what’s out there and available to them. Enter Dr. Kameha Bell, assistant dean of USU’s Well-Being program, and Dr. Ryan Landoll, assistant dean for Preclinical Sciences, leaders at new student orientation who put together an annual orientation event to help students navigate these resources and become connected in the community. 

“Historically, it's been an interest group fair that was focused on student groups,” says Bell. “We focused on thematic topics, professional topics, extracurricular topics, and affinity groups. But this year we’ve grown it into so much more.”

While the student interest group part is essential, this year the fair was rebranded as the “Connections Fair '' to more accurately reflect its intent and the growing scope of the event. 

Logo for the USU Connections Fair

“We’re constantly trying to innovate,” says Bell. “So this year we shifted it to a focus on connections and invited not just student groups, but broader community groups and other key resources that students might be interested in.”

Over 65 groups attended this year including the USU Counseling Center, Student Research Capstone Program, Learning Resource Center, Military and Family Support Services, and Media Affairs.

“A number of these resources have shorter presentations during other parts of orientation,” says Bell. “This gives students a great opportunity to connect more naturally with these groups if they were interested in the presentation but maybe didn’t get a chance to ask a question or may not pursue scheduling an appointment.”

The Connections Fair is a crucial part of accomplishing the overall goals at new student orientation. 

“There are three main principles of orientation we try to accomplish: establishing a sense of community, welcoming students to the professions of arms and medicine, and equipping them with the knowledge and skills to become successful medical students,” says Landoll. “The Connections Fair supports all three of these goals. It fosters that sense of community and belonging at USU, welcomes students by connecting them with people and groups in the professions of arms and medicine, and emphasizes that being involved with your peers and support systems is vital for success in medical school.”

The Connections Fair not only supports the goals of orientation, it also helps to support the Well-Being program, which provides several other programs such as a podcast series, Annual Wellness Challenge, and Facility Dog program, with the goal of creating a positive learning environment where students feel like they are a part of a community.

“The Connections Fair is about students feeling connected to our environment and USU community, which is core to our Well-Being program and student wellness,” said Bell. “The university takes mental wellness seriously and there's a lot of support coming from all areas to ensure students are taken care of while they're here. The impact of connectedness and social support on all aspects of well-being can not be understated.”

Various student interest and community groups engage with new USU students at the Connections Fair Aug. 12. (Photo credit: Tom Balfour).
Various student interest and community groups engage with USU students at the Connections Fair Aug. 12. (Photo credit: Tom Balfour)