From orientations to an expanded Welcome Week, OHIO is ready to ring in a new academic year
Photo courtesy of: University Communications and MarketingMarching 110 members march up Richland Avenue
From orientations to the President’s Convocation for First-Year Students, Ohio University is preparing to host a slew of activities designed to welcome new students and faculty to the Bobcat family, acquaint students with their new home away from home and prepare the entire OHIO community for the academic year.
Ohio University will kick off the 2018-19 academic year on Monday, Aug. 27, but the Athens Campus will start to see an influx of Bobcats earlier in the month as students begin to arrive back in town. Orientation programs begin mid-month as OHIO starts to welcome its international students, and the University’s newly expanded Welcome Week festivities officially begin Thursday, Aug. 23.
Here’s a snapshot of some of the events planned on the Athens Campus:
INTERNATIONAL STUDENT ARRIVAL AND ORIENTATION
Hundreds of international students will begin arriving on the Athens Campus the week of Aug. 12, with graduate international student arrival planned for Aug. 12-13 and undergraduate international student arrival slated for Aug. 18-19.
OHIO’s International Student and Faculty Services (ISFS) has a variety of activities planned to both welcome students to Ohio University and the Athens community and help them prepare for their coursework. Among those activities are orientation programs.
International Graduate Student Orientation begins Tuesday, Aug. 14, with check-in slated for 9:30 to 10 a.m. outside the Ballroom on the fourth floor of Baker University Center, followed by a Welcome Session from 10 to 11 a.m. inside Ballroom A. Sessions, including opportunities to explore the Athens Campus and surrounding community, continue throughout the week with Mandatory Information Sessions scheduled for 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 17, in Baker University Center. A full schedule of events is available here.
International Undergraduate Student Orientation begins Monday, Aug. 20, with check-in slated for 9:30 to 10 a.m. in the Baker Theatre Lounge on the second floor of Baker University Center, followed by a Welcome Session from 10 to 11 a.m. inside the Baker Theatre. Sessions, including opportunities to explore the Athens Campus and surrounding community, continue throughout the week with Mandatory Information Sessions scheduled for 8 a.m. to noon Thursday, Aug. 23, in Bentley Hall 129, 132, 135 and 136. A full schedule of events is available here.
For more information about international student arrival and orientation, click here.
NEW FACULTY WELCOME
In addition to welcoming new students, the OHIO community is gearing up to welcome approximately 60-70 new faculty members to the Bobcat family.
The Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost will be hosting a New Faculty Welcome event from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Aug. 20, in the Baker University Center Ballroom. The event will provide critical information, resources and support for new faculty teaching on all of Ohio University’s campuses and will feature President M. Duane Nellis; OHIO’s new executive vice president and provost, Dr. Chaden Djalali; and the deans of the University’s colleges.
NEW TEACHING ASSISTANT ORIENTATION
OHIO’s Center for Teaching and Learning will welcome new teaching assistants and share with them relevant OHIO resources and services during an orientation that will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 21, in the Baker University Center Ballroom. A special program designed specifically for international teaching assistants will be held that same day from 3 to 5 p.m. in the Ballroom. For more information on New Teaching Assistant Orientation, click here.
GRADUATE STUDENT ORIENTATION
Ohio University’s Graduate College will be welcoming approximately 600-700 new graduate students to the OHIO community this fall semester. An orientation for those students will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 23, in the Baker University Center Ballroom. For more information on Graduate Student Orientation, click here, email graduate@ohio.edu or call 740-593-2800.
UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT ORIENTATION
Ohio University is excited to welcome approximately 4,000 first-year students and 200 transfer students to the Athens Campus this fall. In an effort to foster academic integration and socialization for these new Bobcats, OHIO’s Office of Undergraduate Orientation Programs will be hosting Bobcat Student Orientation sessions for students who were unable to attend orientation earlier in the summer.
Orientation for transfer students and their families and guests will be held on Thursday, Aug. 23. Registration begins at 8 a.m. on the second floor of Baker University Center, and activities will be held throughout the day.
Orientation for first-year students and their families and guests is slated for Friday, Aug. 24. Registration begins at 8 a.m. on the second floor of Baker University Center with activities to occur throughout the day.
For more information about these programs as well as complete orientation schedules, click here.
WELCOME WEEK ACTIVITIES
The start of fall semester 2018 marks the culmination of Ohio University’s new “Ready. Set. OHIO!” initiative. Designed to encompass the many stages of transitioning from an admitted student to officially becoming a Bobcat, “Ready. Set. OHIO!” is an expanded and three-phased approach to welcoming and preparing new students for their OHIO experience and life on the Athens Campus.
Ohio University’s Welcome Week – the “OHIO!” phase of the initiative – commences with the opening of residence halls to first-year students Aug. 23-24 and to returning students on Aug. 25. This year’s Fall Move-In is being conducted by residence hall floor rather than by a student’s last name as in previous years and is being facilitated by teams of students operating under a new name, the Bobcat Move-In Crew.
All students, but particularly first-year students, are strongly encouraged to participate in Welcome Week activities, which are designed to provide opportunities for Bobcats to socialize, have some fun, get acquainted with the Athens Campus and – for first-year students – to officially begin their OHIO experience. Attendance is mandatory for select Welcome Week activities, and some activities are designed for specific groups of Bobcats, including several new events for OHIO’s commuter students.
The full Welcome Week schedule is available here. Some highlights include:
Thursday, Aug. 23
South Beach Bash – Hosted by OHIO’s Campus Involvement Center, the South Beach Bash, free and open to all students, kicks off at 8 p.m. on the Athens Campus’ South Beach and continues until 11 p.m. The festivities will include a DJ, inflatable carnival rides, games and food. Sorority and Fraternity Life will be sponsoring volleyball games, giant Jenga, corn hole and other lawn games, and other offices within the Campus Involvement Center will be on hand giving presentations and providing information on consent, safe sex and being a responsible bystander. There are also plans to screen a move in the amphitheater outside of the Living Learning Center (LLC).
Friday, Aug. 24
First Floor Meeting – All first-year students living on campus should be moved in by 4 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 24, and will attend the first mandatory floor meeting of their OHIO experience from 6 to 7 p.m.
Commuter Student Meeting – OHIO’s Department of Housing and Residence Life will be hosting a special meeting for first-year students who commute to the Athens Campus from 6 to 7 p.m. in the Living Learning Center (LLC) on South Green.
Class of 2022 Photo – Incoming first-year students will leave their first floor or commuter student meetings and will gather at 7:30 p.m. on the field at OHIO’s Peden Stadium for a group photo, capturing the first moment Ohio University’s Class of 2022 will come together as one.
Movie Night at Peden – Immediately following the Class of 2022 Photo, the Campus Involvement Center and the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics will be partnering to host the first-ever Welcome Week Movie Night inside Peden Stadium. An opportunity for first-year students to mix and mingle while enjoying an evening in OHIO’s historic Peden Stadium, this free event will include music, games, snacks and the screening of “Avengers: Infinity War” on the stadium’s video board.
Saturday, Aug. 25
College Welcomes – Each college within OHIO’s academic community will hold mandatory welcome sessions for first-year students at 1 p.m. (See sidebar for locations.)
Party at Ping – The Department of Campus Recreation invites Bobcats to the Charles J. Ping Recreation Center from 6 to 9 p.m. for an evening of free food, fun and festivities. Open to all OHIO students, but designed specifically for first-year Bobcats, Party at Ping will include food samples from local food trucks and vendors, including Ohio University’s Hungry Cat food truck; music; lawn games and inflatables; caricatures; henna tattoos; volleyball; Group Fitness demonstrations; free giveaways; and more. The Ping Center, including its 36-foot, double-sided climbing wall, will be open for workouts and open recreation, and OHIO’s Club Sports teams will be available to answer questions and provide students information.
OHIO Late Nights – The festivities continue at Housing and Residence Life’s first OHIO Late Nights program of the semester. Held each Saturday from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. in the Living Learning Center (LLC), OHIO Late Nights offers all Bobcats a variety of free fun, including karaoke, games, snacks and more.
Sunday, Aug. 26
Residence Hall Floor Meeting – First-year students will participate in their second floor meeting inside their residence hall, beginning at 1 p.m.
Commuter Student Meeting – First-year commuter students will participate in their second meeting, beginning at 1 p.m. in the Living Learning Center (LLC).
President’s Convocation for First-Year Students – Staff from Housing and Residence Life will lead all first-year students from their residence hall floor or commuter student meetings to OHIO’s Convocation Center at 2 p.m. At the Convocation Center, students will officially mark the beginning of their academic journey at OHIO during the President’s Convocation for First-Year Students, which begins at 2:30 p.m. This attendance-mandatory event is an OHIO tradition celebrating the newest members of the Bobcat family and concluding with a rite of passage for every Bobcat – a procession, led by Ohio University President M. Duane Nellis and the Marching 110, up Richland Avenue and through College Gate. Passage through OHIO’s iconic College Gate marks the official induction of the Class of 2022 into the Ohio University community.
Student Organization Fair – After proceeding through the College Gate at approximately 3:30 p.m., first-year students will join their fellow Bobcats at the annual Student Organization Fair, held on the College Green. Hosted by the Campus Involvement Center, the event will showcase more than 300 of the University’s 500-plus registered student organizations and clubs. Representatives from those organizations will be available to provide information, answer questions and sign students up to participate in their groups. The Student Organization Fair will be canceled in the event of inclement weather.
Monday, Aug. 27 (First Day of Classes)
Resources for Thriving as a Commuter – Housing and Residence Life is partnering with the Office for Multicultural Student Access and Retention (OMSAR) for a program designed to provide OHIO’s commuter students with information and resources to help them succeed on campus and in the classroom. This program is scheduled for 8 to 10 a.m. in the Living Learning Center (LLC) 102. It repeats at the same time and location on Tuesday, Aug. 28.
Global Opportunities Open House – OHIO’s Office of Global Opportunities is hosting an open house from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Walter International Education Center 106 to provide students with information on the University’s study abroad and domestic study away programs. (This event repeats throughout the week.)
Meet Up at the Movies – Ohio University’s Athena Cinema is hosting a Welcome Week open house from 1 to 3 p.m. at this 103-year-old movie theater located at 20 S. Court St. (This event repeats throughout the week.)
Wednesday, Aug. 29
Sorority Recruitment Information Session – Members of the Women’s Panhellenic Association will be available to discuss the 10 sororities offered at Ohio University and the recruitment process, beginning at 7 p.m. in Baker University Center 231.
Film: “The Miseducation of Cameron Post” – The Athena Cinema is partnering with OHIO’s LGBT Center to offer a special one-night-only screening of this film at 7 p.m. followed by a discussion.
OU Trivia Night – Members of the Bobcat community are invited to learn a little more about their 214-year-old home away from home from 7 to 9 p.m. at Alden Library.
Thursday, Aug. 30
CLDC Ice Cream Open House – Students are invited to discover Ohio University’s award-winning Career and Leadership Development Center and start their career development journey during this event, scheduled for noon to 2 p.m. in Baker University Center 533.
Veteran and Military Affiliated Students Welcome Social – Visit OHIO’s Brigadier General James M. Abraham and Colonel Arlene F. Greenfield Veterans and Military Student Services Center from 5 to 6 p.m. in Baker University Center 350.
Multicultural Student Expo – This free event, scheduled for 7 to 9 p.m. in the Baker University Center Ballroom, provides OHIO’s multicultural students an opportunity to socialize, network with faculty and staff, and learn more about the University’s academic and social offerings.
“What Were You Wearing?” Survivor Art Installation – Designed to share stories of sexual assault and survival while challenging the victim-blaming behavior that often accompanies these incidents of violence, this exhibit kicks off from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Trisolini Gallery on the fourth floor of Baker University Center and continues through Sept. 13.
Saturday, Sept. 1
OHIO’s Welcome Week festivities wrap up with a day for showing off your Bobcat pride on the Athens Campus as the Ohio University Football Team kicks off its 2018 season with a 2 p.m. home opener at Peden Stadium against the Howard University Bison. Details and ticket information are available here.
OHIO Athletics invites all Bobcat fans, both students and the general public, to rally before the game at the Bobcat Nation Pavilion. Located on South Green Drive, just north of the new Perry and Sandy Sook Academic Center at Peden Stadium, this Bobcat fan zone will feature food and beverages, outdoor games, a DJ, and a large-screen television showing some of the day’s college football games.
Bobcat fans attending the game are also invited to take advantage of OHIO’s free Bobcat Bike Valet, courtesy of the Office of Sustainability. Avoid the game-day traffic and bike your way to the Athens Campus. The Bobcat Bike Valet, located on South Green Drive in front of Walter Hall just across from Peden Stadium, will take care of your bike for up to an hour before game-time until an hour after the game ends.
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For more information about these events as well as additional fall opening and move-in information, check out the University’s Arrival Guide at https://www.ohio.edu/arrival-guide and stay tuned to Compass, Ohio University’s official source for news and information.
Photo courtesy of: University Communications and MarketingFirst-year students visiting student organization tables on College Green