When all new students arrive on campus in the Fall, the entire campus comes out to greet them! For resident students, we offer special move-in staff that will greet you at your residence hall and help you unload and move in your personal belongings! The campus truly comes alive and several programs and activities are available to help students get acquainted and learn more about college life.

Typically our Opening Weekend consists of a Campus Wide Welcoming Picnic, New Student Convocation and Special Events for Commuting/Off-campus Students. In addition, we offer a spectacular Torchlight Ceremony sponsored by our Undergraduate Alumni Association.  Also offered during Opening Weekend is Hewitt Union Night which showcases and highlights the many activities available in our Student Union. Activities typically include a building scavenger hunt, student-clad sumo wrestlers (you must see it to believe it!); t-shirt tie dying event, and much more.

"Orientation Express" is an Opening Weekend tradition on our campus. This theatre production is written and developed by students and depicts and portrays student life issues on our campus. You will laugh, cry and be amazed throughout this hour long performance. "Orientation Express" is often heralded as the highlight of Opening Weekend.

We offer several other programs, workshops, lectures, and events on Opening Weekend, all designed to provide information to new students about our campus culture. It is our belief that informed students can make good academic and social choices and better understand their reasons for being at college.