Coming into college as a freshman is a confusing time; students are learning a new environment, meeting hundreds of new people and learning how to live a completely different lifestyle overnight.

This transition can be more confusing when dealing with class registration, majors, minors and advising. However, there are some resources that aim to make student lives easier.

One of those resources is the Major/Minor Fair for the College of Education & Professional Studies. The fair is from 2 to 5 p.m. on Nov. 5 in the University Center, room 275B.

The event will include contact information for more than 60 majors and minors. Faculty and student representatives from most programs will be there to answer questions and provide information.

Tracy Arneson-Baker, advising coordinator of the College of Education & Professional Studies, has been helping plan the fair. She said she wanted to focus on making sure students realize all the different programs in the college, some of which are not involved with education or licensing.

“[The fair] is to make sure we’re being inclusive of all of our programs and that students get to know us not just as the College of Education, but as the College of Education & Professional Studies,” Arneson-Baker said.

Arneson-Baker said there will be tables set up around the room with information on most of the programs. There will be flyers listing all of the majors and minors and general information.

This is the first time the college has done a major/minor fair.

The idea was first brought to the attention of Dean Katharina Heyning last spring semester.

“In January, [the Dean’s Advisory Council’s] number one request was to have an advising major/minor fair for the college,” Heyning said.

Sara Richmond, a senior studying business education, is a co-chair of the council.

“When you walk into Whitewater as a freshman and you’re an education major, they throw a lot at you,” Richmond said. “So we thought it was a good idea to present the information to the students so they had the opportunity to talk with faculty, interact with students who are in those particular majors and just get some general information about what the college was all about.”

As part of getting the word out about the fair, Arneson-Baker has sent emails to all freshmen and sophomore students, and any students who are undeclared. She has also reached out to the Academic Advising and Exploration Center to encourage students to attend.

Arneson-Baker said the fair was planned strategically to target the large amount of students who are in and out of the U.C. every day. Popcorn will be served outside to help attract students.

Jeanine Fassl, a part-time adviser for transfer students in the college, taught in the Communications department for 30 years and was the department’s director of Academic Advising for three years. Because of her experience, she said she was able to help organize and spread the word about the Major/Minor Fair.

Fassl said the fair was needed to accommodate the changing job market.

“I think the college itself has grown to meet the needs of employers,” Fassl said.

Fassl said this growth is what caused other programs besides education, like coaching, to be in the college.

“If you’re not evolving to meet the needs of your graduates, you’re not doing a good job for your students,” Fassl said. “All four of the colleges are constantly changing curriculums and programming to meet the needs of the employers who are going to take our students. That’s why we’re here.”

Students who are already in the College of Education & Professional Studies can benefit from the Major/Minor fair, Richmond said, by learning what their next step in the college is and getting information about future courses.

“The goal of the fair is to get the students in touch with the person who can get them the most information about their particular major or minor,” Richmond said.