Schedule
New Student Orientation 2023
Sessions highlighted in blue are required for all new students studying on-campus this fall, including new transfer students.
Sessions highlighted in yellow are parent and family sessions. Parents and family members are also encouraged to participate in all activities prior to 3 p.m.
Note: International Student Orientation (ISO) takes place from August 12-14, 2023. Students participating in ISO should plan to arrive on campus by August 12. Please refer to the ISO schedule or contact Director of International Student Services Bonike Odegbami at oodegbam@hamilton.edu for additional information.
| Tuesday, August 15 |
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| 8:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. Orientation Check-in and Residence Hall Move-In Welcome to Hamilton! Start off by picking up your Orientation information and residence hall keys. Orientation Trip Leaders and Community Advisors (CAs) will be available to greet students and family members and answer your questions. Residence Hall Lobbies/Lounges |
| 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Cram and Scram Sale Still need something for your room? Stop by Hamilton's annual cram and scram sale - happening for the first time during orientation! Browse this nearly-new dorm essentials resale event to put the finishing touches on your new residence hall space. Molly Root House Parking Lot |
| 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. One-Stop Shop An informational open house with campus representatives from dining services, community living, student accounts, financial aid, the health center, library & information technology services, and local banks. Atrium, Taylor Science Center |
| 10:30 - 11:30 a.m. Coffee and Conversation for January Admission Students and Families Join fellow January Admission students, families, faculty and administrators at a welcome session and coffee break. Filius Events Barn |
| 11:30 - 11:45 a.m. Meeting for Student Athletes and their Families Director of Athletics Jon Hind and Associate Director Deirdre Pierson will provide information specific to Hamilton student-athletes. Wellin Hall, Schambach Center |
| 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. Picnic Lunch for New Students and Families Tent on the Dunham Green |
| 1 p.m. President and Deans Welcome President David Wippman, Dean of Faculty Ngoni Munemo, Dean of Admission John McLaughlin, Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Sean Bennett, and Dean of Students Chris Card welcome new students and their families. Margaret Scott Bundy Field House |
| 1:30 - 2:30 p.m. Welcome Reception Students and their families are invited to speak with the president, deans, administrators, faculty members, and staff. Light refreshments will be served. Margaret Scott Bundy Field House |
| 3 - 4 p.m. Parent and Family Session: Navigating the Road Ahead: Challenges and Resources The Dean of Students and members of the Division of Student Life will share information about the student experience and resources at Hamilton. Wellin Hall, Schambach Center |
| 3 - 4:30 p.m. Opening Ceremonies Head to the football field to meet your fellow new students, orientation adventure trip leaders, and groups for games and introductions. Steuben Football Field |
| 4:30 - 7 p.m. Adventure Trip Preparation Russell Sage Hockey Rink |
| 5 -7 p.m. First Night Dinner Commons Dining Hall |
| 7 - 8 p.m. Be Here Now Welcome to Hamilton! Meet the orientation staff and student leaders, and learn more about what to expect when your orientation adventure trip begins tomorrow. Kennedy Center Amphitheater |
| 8 p.m. Adventure Trip Group Activities Various locations - see your orientation trip leader for more information. |
| Wednesday, August 16 |
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| 7– 10 a.m. Breakfast Commons and McEwen Dining Halls |
| All Day Adventure Trip Activities Various locations |
| Thursday, August 17 |
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| 7– 8 a.m. Breakfast For trip groups still on campus Commons Dining Hall |
| All Day Adventure Trip Activities Various locations |
| Friday, August 18 - Saturday, August 19 |
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| All day Adventure Trip Activities Various locations |
| Sunday, August 20 |
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| Morning-Afternoon Adventure Trip Activities Various locations |
| Afternoon Adventure Trips return to campus |
| 11:30 a.m.–4 p.m. Lunch Commons Dining Hall |
| 5:30 p.m. Dinner under the Tent Tent on the Dunham Green |
| 7 p.m. Residence Hall Mixers Meet your CA and fellow hall-mates, and learn more about living on campus at Hamilton. Residence Halls – various locations. Please wait for instructions at the end of dinner regarding where to meet your CA |
| 7 p.m. Jan Mixer Spend some time getting to know your fellow January Admission students before you embark on your fall experiences! The Little Pub |
| Monday, August 21 |
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| 7:30–8:30 a.m. Continental Breakfast Tent on the Dunham Green |
| 8:45–10 a.m. Orientation Lecture Upson Chair for Public Discourse and Professor of Theater Craig Latrell and Dean of Students at Francis W. Parker Chater School Carter Cox '03 deliver this year's Orientation Lecture. Wellin Hall, Schambach Center |
| 10–11 a.m. Brunch and Info Session for January Admission Students and Families Jans and their families are invited to an optional continental brunch and info session before you depart campus. Please bring along your temporary room key and meal card! During this event, Jans who are interested in information about Hamilton’s curriculum, advising, and spring course registration are invited to chat with representatives from the Registrar’s Office, Associate Dean of Students for Academics, and Pre- Health Professions Advising. Fillius Events Barn |
| 10–11 a.m. Group Advising Sessions Meet with your faculty advisor See your orientation booklet sticker for your advisor's name and office location |
| 11 a.m.–1 p.m. Lunch with your Orientation Group Students wishing to attend the Jewish Community Bagel Brunch may do so. Commons Dining Hall |
| 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Individual Advising Meetings Faculty Advisor Offices |
| 11 a.m.–1 p.m. Jewish Community Bagel Brunch Come grab a bite to eat and meet the Jewish Chaplains and student leaders from our on-campus Jewish community! Center for Jewish Life, Azel Backus House |
| 12:30–2:30 p.m. Lawn Games and Lemonade Stop by for some friendly competition, snacks, music, and fresh-squeezed lemonade from the Squeezers Lemonade truck! Babbitt Pavilion |
| 12 –1 p.m. Informal Sciences Advising Mingle with faculty and ask questions about majors and courses in the sciences. Taylor Science Center Atrium |
| 12– 1 p.m. Informal Social Sciences Advising Mingle with faculty and ask questions about majors and courses in the social sciences. Faculty members from Government, History, Russian Studies, Sociology, and Women's Studies will be present. In addition, the Economics Department will be offering a 20-minute introduction to the major with a Q&A beginning at 12:00 and 12:30 in KJ 101. First-Floor Commons, Kirner-Johnson |
| 1-3 p.m. Academic Info Sessions Each session is offered twice, at 1 p.m. and 2 p.m.
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| 3–5 p.m. The Hamilton Honor Code Introduction to the Hamilton Honor Code. This 30-minute session is offered 4 times. Please see your orientation booklet for your group name and assigned time. Bradford Auditorium, Kirner-Johnson Group One @ 3pm: Teams English Breakfast, Thai, and Lemon Ginger Group Two @ 3:30pm: Teams Earl Grey, Chai, and Hibiscus Group Three @ 4pm: Teams Matcha, Oolong, and Jasmine Group Four @ 4:30pm: Teams Peppermint, Chamomile, and Yerba Mate |
| 3–5 p.m. Wellness at Hamilton College is a holistic experience, and you will have a lot to balance over the next four years. Come learn about how you can take care of yourself while at Hamilton, how we take care of each other in our community, and what services are offered in the Counseling Center and Dean of Students Office. This 30-minute session is offered 4 times. Please see your orientation booklet for your group name and assigned time. Kennedy Auditorium, Taylor Science Center Group One @ 3pm: Teams Matcha, Oolong, and Jasmine Group Two @ 3:30pm: Teams Peppermint, Chamomile, and Yerba Mate Group Three @ 4pm: Teams English Breakfast, Thai, and Lemon Ginger Group Four @ 4:30pm: Teams Earl Grey, Chai, and Hibiscus |
| 5–6:45 p.m. Dinner Commons Dining Hall |
| 7 –8 p.m. Community and Allyship Wellin Hall, Schabach Center |
| 8:30–10 p.m. Transfer Student Mixer Get to know fellow transfer students over snacks and games. The Little Pub |
| 10 p.m.–Midnight Open Mic Night Show off your talents or just come to watch your friends and orientation trip leaders perform! Filius Events Barn |
| 10 p.m.–Midnight New Student Block Party Food Trucks, DIY dorm decs, crafts, games, fire pits, and giveaways. Need we say more? Come relax, connect, and grab a bite! Sadove Terrace |
| Tuesday, August 22 |
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| 7:30-9 a.m. Breakfast Commons and McEwen Dining Halls |
| 10 a.m. Guided Glen Walk Take a deep breath and explore some of Hamilton’s best trails on this guided walk through the Kirkland and Root Glens. Meet at the Gazebo, located near the entrance to the Root Glen – right next to the Anderson-Connell Alumni Center. Gazebo at the entrance to the Root Glen |
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9 - 11:30 a.m. |
| 10 a.m.–2:30 p.m. Matriculation Visit the Kirkland Cottage to sign the historic College Register. President David Wippman, Dean of Faculty Ngoni Munemo, Vice President for Enrollment Management Monica Inzer, Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Sean Bennett, and Dean of Students Christopher Card will greet new students during this annual and historic Hamilton tradition. (Please see your orientation booklet label for the name of your sandwich group, and arrive at Kirkland Cottage at your assigned time). Kirkland Cottage 10:00 a.m.: English Breakfast 10:30 a.m.: Earl Grey 11:00 a.m.: Chai 11:30 a.m.: Matcha 12:30 p.m.: Oolong 1:00 p.m.: Peppermint 1:30pm: Chamomile 2:00 p.m.: Yerba Mate |
| 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Navigating Your Support Network Hosted by the ALEX Advisors, this interactive session (offered twice – at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.) will give an overview of the Advising Network at Hamilton. Our goal is to help you understand how to utilize and identify your network of support and introduce you to the Compass platform that we will use to make appointments and referrals to supports and resources on campus. Kennedy Auditorium, Taylor Science Center |
| 10 a.m.–2:30 p.m. Individual Advising Meetings By appointment. Faculty Advisor Offices |
| 11 a.m.–2 p.m. Lunch Commons and McEwen Dining Halls |
| 2 - 4:30 p.m. Wellin Museum of Art Poster Giveaway Stop in to the Wellin Museum to look at art, make a personalized postcard to send to a friend, and pick up a poster to decorate your room. Wellin Museum of Art |
| 12:30 - 3 p.m. Registration Follow-up Check-in at the Registrar’s office if you need to make changes to your course schedule. See below for your group's assigned time. Registrar's Office, Elihu Root House 12:30 – 1:45 p.m.: Teams English Breakfast, Earl Grey and Chai 1:45 – 3:00 p.m.: Teams Matcha, Oolong, and Peppermint |
| 2:30–4:30 p.m. Hamilton's Sexual Misconduct Policy This presentation will provide an introduction to the Hamilton Sexual Misconduct Policy. Presentation by Catherine Berryman, Director of Community Standards. This 30-minute session is offered 4 times. Please see your below for your group's assigned time. Bradford Auditorium, Kirner-Johnson Group One @ 2:30pm: Teams Chamomile, Yerba Mate, and Jasmine Group Two @ 3:00pm: Teams Hibiscus, Lemon Ginger, and Thai Group Three @ 3:30pm: Teams English Breakfast, Earl Grey, and Chai Group Four @ 4:00pm: Teams Matcha, Oolong, and Peppermint |
| 5 - 7:30 p.m. Dinner Commons and McEwen Dining Halls |
| 7:30–9 p.m. MP2 (Multicultural Peer Mentoring Project) Welcome Reception and Dinner Tolles Pavilion |
| 7:30–9 p.m. Safety and Health at Hamilton This presentation will highlight health and safety resources at Hamilton, and provide a detailed overview of fire safety on a residential campus. Wellin Hall, Schambach Center |
| 9 p.m. Mentalist Al Snyder Dr. Al Snyder blends traditional stage hypnosis and creative new material to keep audience members on the edge of their seats. One of the highlights of the week! Wellin Hall, Schambach Center |
| 9 - 10 p.m. Fire & Ice...Cream Come meet our chaplaincy staff and student leaders in our spiritual life groups: Catholic, Protestant, Muslim, Jewish, InterVarsity, Meditation & Mindfulness communities plus Indigenous spirituality and awareness group. Lawn in front of the Chapel |
| 10 p.m. Trivia Night Come test out your knowledge of Hamilton (and minutiae) at trivia night, hosted by the First-Year Experience (FYE) Leaders! Bring along your own group, or just show up and we’ll match you with a group. Snacks for all, and prizes for the winners! Fillius Events Barn |
Contact
Contact Name
Tessa Chefalo
Assistant Dean of Students for Student Engagement
Phone
Email
