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Augusta University Wins Award for LEAP Week Program

Students enjoying a kayaking excursion as part of the LEAP Week program at Augusta University.

News Summary

Augusta University’s Office of New Student and Family Transitions has received the 2025 Region VI Innovation in Transition Programs Award for its LEAP Week program. This year’s conference, held in New Orleans, showcased the growth of the program, which expanded from 60 to 650 participants in two years. LEAP Week helps students adjust to university life through community engagement activities that foster connections and hand-on learning, underlining Augusta University’s commitment to enriching student experiences and community involvement.

Augusta – Augusta University’s Office of New Student and Family Transitions (NSFT) has been honored with the 2025 Region VI Innovation in Transition Programs Award in recognition of its impressive LEAP Week program. This notable achievement was announced during the Association for Orientation, Transition, and Retention in Higher Education’s 2025 Region VI Regional Conference held in New Orleans, Louisiana, from March 7-9.

The award highlights significant advancements made by the LEAP Week program, which began with just 60 participants in its inaugural year. Over the course of two years, participation surged to 650 students, demonstrating the program’s growing popularity and impact within the university and local community. This year, Augusta University competed against schools from nine other states, including Georgia, Louisiana, and Florida, underscoring the competitive nature of the award.

LEAP Week is designed to help new students acclimate to university life through a series of engaging activities, fostering connections between students and the surrounding community. The program has developed partnerships with various local businesses and organizations, creating opportunities for students to engage in a wide range of experiences such as nature excursions, arts, history explorations, pottery, kayaking, museum visits, and even unique activities like rage rooms and ax throwing.

NSFT had previously been recognized at the Augusta State of Tourism: Connect and Celebrate event as the recipient of the 2024 Tourism Partner of the Year Award, reflecting its ongoing commitment to enhancing student experiences through community engagement.

Mark Myers, the director of NSFT, explained that receiving this award recognizes the dedicated efforts of their team in forging genuine connections between new students and their community. Jenna Sims, assistant director of NSFT, also highlighted the program’s goal of integrating community-based experiences that extend learning beyond campus walls.

As part of the [2025 Regional Conference](#) program, NSFT student leaders actively participated in professional development workshops, aimed at enhancing their skills and knowledge related to student transitions and engagement. One of the notable attendees, John Blalock, a political science major and student coordinator, emphasized LEAP Week’s unique attributes when compared to similar programs at larger institutions like Florida State and the University of Georgia. Blalock led a Golf Track during the previous LEAP Week and expressed a commitment to incorporating student feedback to refine and elevate future programs.

The primary objective of the transition program is to cultivate deeper connections between students and the Augusta community, thereby enriching students’ university experiences. Moving forward, Myers asserted that future iterations of the LEAP Week will prioritize high-impact experiential opportunities, ensuring students continue to benefit from engaging community experiences.

Through initiatives such as LEAP Week, Augusta University aims to support its students not only academically but also socially and culturally, bridging the gap between campus life and community involvement. As the university builds on this recognition, its long-term vision includes further expansion of community-based opportunities, striving to enhance the overall student transition experience.