Orientation Trips
Hamilton College offers three branches of orientation adventure trips that provide a fun and friendly atmosphere for easing new students into college life.
Outdoor Adventure Sampler
Whether it’s hiking on scenic trails, paddling a canoe, or trying a challenge course, this experience is designed for you to have fun in the outdoors, make friends, and ask questions of leaders to get ready for college.
We have selected leaders who are passionate about creating a sense of belonging on campus. Leaders were recruited heavily from DMC cultural center groups, Opportunity Program, International students, POSSE, and QuestBridge.
You’ll stay at an outdoor education hub in the Adirondacks, eat meals in a dining hall, sleep in an indoor bunkroom, and have access to hot showers after a day of adventuring. Get ready to explore the outdoors and dive into college life with a trip made just for you!
- To have a positive transition into college by making good friends and working with helpful, experienced leaders
- To learn about Hamilton College, your peers, yourself and how it all fits together
- To find out how you work in a group of fellow college students
- To collaborate with people who might be different from you (kind of like college, eh?)
- To provide opportunities for information-sharing and discussion about the College, including ways to get involved in service, outdoor adventures, or leadership during your Hamilton years.
Orientation at Hamilton
Adirondack Adventure Alumni: Bringing that ‘Big Andrew Energy’
Thirty-three trips into the wilderness, 68 student leaders, 287 student participants. Plus dozens of canoes, tents, sleeping bags, rain gear, pounds of cheese, and other essentials. The planning that goes into Hamilton’s Adirondack Adventure (AA) orientation program is extensive, and the process has run like a proverbial well-oiled machine for the past four decades thanks in large part to Director of Outdoor Leadership Andrew Jillings, who came on board in 1997 to expand the program from a modest six trips.
The “Doggy Dog” Days of Orientation!
Cars, SUVs, minivans, and airport shuttles filled with new students and families were greeted by raucous singing and cheering Orientation leaders and President Steven Tepper in his full Alexander Hamilton costume. The Class of 2029 and transfer students arrived on College Hill on Aug. 19 to begin Orientation, embark on adventure trips, and matriculate into Hamilton.
Contact
Contact Name
Tessa Chefalo
Assistant Dean of Students for Student Engagement
