Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mehmet Özalper, Advisor to the Rector and Director of the Vocational School of Social Sciences, met with students to help those newly enrolled at the Vocational School of Social Sciences adapt to the university environment, provide academic guidance, and listen to any issues or suggestions they might have.
The introductory meeting, organized annually by the Vocational School of Social Sciences, was held again this year under the leadership of School Director Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mehmet Özalper. Assistant Directors Asst. Prof. Dr. Ahmet Dündar and Lecturer Abdullah Demir, School Secretary Yusuf Doğan, and first-year academic advisors attended the meeting for the 2023-2024 academic year.
Meeting with students in the school's classrooms, Özalper began his address by wishing them success in their new academic journey. He provided information about the university's physical facilities as well as its social, cultural, and athletic activities; he also offered solutions for potential challenges they might face and shared various recommendations. Highlighting the student clubs and the range of social, cultural, and athletic events organized by the university, Özalper emphasized the value these activities add to the students' educational experience and encouraged them to participate. In his speech, Özalper noted that the administrators, academic and administrative staff, and students at the vocational school—which operates with eight departments and ten programs—form a family-like bond. He said, "I am speaking to you as an older brother and a father figure. Make sure to take full advantage of the excellent opportunities our university offers, and leave here having enriched yourselves. Times have changed; to succeed in life, you must constantly renew yourselves and keep learning. It brings us great joy to see you finding your footing in life."
Encouraging students to feel comfortable sharing their concerns, criticisms, and feedback with the school administration—including himself—throughout their education, Özalper pledged their support in all matters and concluded his speech by saying, "Welcome to our family." Following his address and a Q&A session with the students, the meeting concluded with a presentation by Lecturer Can Kurt on using the website and the Student Information System (OBS).
