AHANA Connections

SMU's students of color orientation

Transitioning into college, while exciting, can present many unexpected challenges. New friends, new surroundings, and new academic demands can all become overwhelming in your first year. AHANA Connections (Asian-American/Pacific Islander, Hispanic/Latino, African-American/Black, and Native American) is a program to help start your academic career running.

While Saint Martin's University (SMU) provides all incoming students with a general student orientation, we at the Office of Intercultural Initiatives (OII) offer a two-day orientation designed specifically for incoming students of color. As a compliment to the new student orientation, AHANA Connections helps students adjust to campus life before the hustle and bustle of student activity. AHANA Connections enables students to:

  • Engage with the campus community
  • Obtain information about student and academic services
  • Interact with students from other cultural and diverse backgrounds

What are the perks of AHANA?

First and foremost, AHANA is about building community among students. In fact, the friends you make during AHANA Connections may very well end up being your closest friends throughout your SMU experience. AHANA also offers informative sessions that help students understand the ins-and-outs of college life, including student and academic services, general academic and financial questions, and job and internship possibilities. Lastly, AHANA allows students to beat the crowd by moving in several days ahead of other students.

The easiest way to register for AHANA Connections is through this website. Simply complete and submit the online registration form. If you have questions or concerns about registration, you may call the Office of Intercultural Initiatives at 360-486-8847. It's that simple! After registering, you'll receive a confirmation letter with program dates, move-in information, and scheduled activities. Parents and guardians are welcome on the first day of the program. Please be sure to RSVP parents and guardians as part of your registration information.