Several freshmen were greeted with an unfamiliar face when they opened their residence hall door Wednesday night.

It was the face of a community adviser, who was there to introduce themselves and offer their assistance to new students.

House Calls, the new program that sponsors the event, is intended to ease students into their new surroundings, said Michael Coakley, assistant vice president for student life.

“We’re just letting students know that there are people in the university that want to know how they’re doing and how they’re adjusting,” Coakley said.

Early in the night, about 20 CAs from Grant Towers gathered in the Northern Lights Grill in Grant South to get their rosters for the two floors they were to visit. They also brought along a “doctor’s bag” filled with brochures about various organizations on campus.

Angie Dreessen, director of student involvement and leadership development, was assigned three floors in Grant Tower B. Dreessen asked the students about the typical concerns incoming freshmen had. She also asked the students if they have been finding their classes, how their classes were going and if they had attended New Student Welcome Days.

Freshman undecided major Jeff Hayes said he was adjusting well to college life.

“My classes are pretty big, but everything is going OK,” Hayes said.

Most students Dreessen visited did not have any questions or concerns. Dreessen let the students know where they could go in case they needed assistance later in the year.

House Calls is a new program this year and is a part of First Year Residential Experience.

FYRE was implemented this year in Grant Towers. The program will offer ways for freshmen to enrich their first year at NIU, such as a tutoring center and Academic Advising Center Satellite Office.