Get the app
New students should download the Corq app and find their Event Pass to check into events throughout Orientation and beyond. Corq allows students to add events to their calendars, explore campus groups and offices, and even has each session mapped out using Google Maps to help you find your place at Dickinson.
- Download the Corq app (in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store).
- Log into the app with your Dickinson username and password (for help, click here).
- Open your options and select “Event Pass.”
From there, you can save it to Google Pay or your Apple Wallet or take a screenshot. The event pass is specific to you but will stay the same for your entire Dickinson experience.
Wednesday, August 28
8-11am New Student Move-in, Residence Halls
Move-in for most new students will be Wednesday, August 28, from 8 to 11 a.m. Family members are welcome to join their students on Move-In Day. If you have any questions, please contact reslife@dickinson.edu. (The numbers in brackets correspond to the number on Dickinson’s campus map. If you would like to map it, click here.)
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Behind Adams Hall (Rain Location: Adams Basement) [48]
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Outside Davidson-Wilson/on Dickinson Walk [31] (Rain Location: Atwater Davidson-Wilson first floor lounge) [30-31]
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Drayer Porch (Rain Location: Drayer Lounge) [49]
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Outside Baird-McClintock/on Dickinson Walk (Rain Location: Baird-McClintock Tunnel) [26]
10am-noon All college information tents, Britton Plaza/D-Walk
After checking into your residence hall, learn more about many offices, departments and local community organizations that work closely with Dickinson students and families.
11am-1:45pm Welcome Lunch, Dining Hall
Join fellow new students and their families for a delicious lunch in the Dining Hall.
11:30am-12:30pm Posse Family Lunch (invite only)
12-1pm Legacy Lunch (invite only)
12:30-1:30pm Welcome reception for Students of Color/families, Popel Shaw Center (invite only)
2-3pm First Floor Meeting, Residence Halls
Join your floor or building in a meeting led by your resident advisor to learn more about living on campus and get to know your neighbors. Please see your resident advisor to learn where you will meet for this session.
2-3pm Transfer Student Meeting, HUB Underground
Students who have transferred to Dickinson will come together to talk about the transition, finding resources and networking. If you are NOT a commuter student or living in a first-year residence hall, this session is for you.
2-3pm Commuter Student Meeting, Althouse 106
Commuter students meet together to discuss what life is like at Dickinson for those who do not live on campus. Connect with other commuters and learn about resources that apply to you.
2-3pm Family Welcome to Dickinson, ATS
Parents & families are invited to attend this welcome session featuring President John E. Jones III ’77, P’11, Vice President of Student Life and Dean of Students George Stroud, Provost & Dean Renée Cramer and Student Senate President Andrew Garcia ’26
3-4pm Family Farewell, Britton Plaza
Family members are encouraged to say goodbye to their students and depart campus.
4:15 – 5pm Students Welcome to Dickinson, ATS
President John E. Jones III ’77, P’11, Vice President of Student Life and Dean of Students George Stroud, Provost & Dean Renée Cramer and Student Senate President Andrew Garcia ’26 are excited to meet the newest group of Dickinsonians! Please plan to attend this session as we officially welcome you all to campus.
5-6:30pm Meet and Eat with OL, Morgan Field
Get excited to meet with your orientation group and Orientation leader. OLs serve as guides for new students, helping them get oriented with campus life. Join your peers and OLs for a fun and welcoming first dinner!
6:30-7pm OL’s take to FYS classroom
7-8:30pm Playfair, Academic Quad
Welcome to Playfair, the ultimate icebreaker! Playfair is totally unlike anything else you have ever experienced. It’s entertainment! It’s fun! It’s the perfect way to make new campus friendships! Playfair is a team-building experience that will have a long-lasting effect on you and the members of your new campus community.
9-11 p.m. Dickinson After Dark – First-Year Halls Block Party
An exciting welcome-back event hosted by residence life! Discover the locations of all the first-year residence halls while you enjoy treats, get to know the staff, and meet some special guests.
Thursday, August 29
7:30-8:30am Yoga, Kline Center Patio
Come for an hour of yoga before a busy day. Limited mats are available, or bring your own, as well as some water.
7 – 8:45pm Breakfast with OL, Dining Hall
8:40-9:40am Title IX & Sexual Respect, ATS
In this presentation, we will introduce members of our campus community, including public safety, the Wellness Center, the Women’s & Gender Resource Center, the local Rape/Domestic Violence Services Center and campus Counseling Services.
8:45 – 10am Academic Integrity & Library Research for Transfer Students, Library Classroom 2
This session will introduce library resources, academic integrity, citation and plagiarism at Dickinson.
9:40 – 10am First-Year Academic Overview, ATS
This session will provide an overview of the academic experience, encouraging students to connect the dots and maximize their time at Dickinson.
10:15 – 11:30am First-Year Seminar Classes
10:15-11:30am Transfer Academic Overview, Biddle 102
This transfer student–only session will provide an overview of the academic experience, encouraging students to connect the dots and maximize their time at Dickinson.
11:30-1pm Lunch with RA’s, Dining Hall
11:30am-1:30pm Community and Campus Resources Fair, Morgan Field
This event provides an opportunity for new students to learn more about the many offices, departments and community organizations at Dickinson and in the greater Carlisle community.
1:30-2:50pm Open Houses
- ROTC Open House, ROTC House
- Popel Shaw Center Open House, Popel Shaw Center
- Department of Theatre and Dance Open House, Mathers Theatre (HUB)
- Music Department, Weiss Center for the Arts
1:30-2:50pm Language Placement Tests
Ancient Greek: East College 106 (professor’s office)
Arabic: Stern 012
Chinese: Stern Center 103
French: Bosler 209
German: Denny 112
Italian: Bosler Micro Room
Japanese: Stern Center 007
Latin: East College 106 (professor’s office)
Modern Hebrew: East College 108
Russian: Bosler 115 (professor’s office)
Spanish: Stern Center 011
1:30-2:50pm Dining Services onboarding, HUB SRs
1:30-2:50pm International Student Session, Althouse 106
3-3:45pm Make Dickinson Yours, ATS
Get ready to Make Dickinson Yours! In this interactive session, our Integrated Academic Success team will introduce many resources designed to support you throughout your college journey. We'll invite you to actively participate both in and out of the classroom and inspire you to embrace new opportunities! By the end of the session, you'll walk away with Three Things you can do to kickstart your fall semester and find your place here at Dickinson.
3:45-5:15pm Responsibilities of Dickinsonians, ATS
5:15 – 6:45pm Dinner, Dining Hall
7-8:30pm Amazing Race, ATS
8:30-10pm S’mores with DPS, DWalk
10pm-12am Dickinson After Dark – Target Takeover Meet in ATS parking lot
Friday, August 30
7:30-8:30am Yoga, Kline Center Patio
Limited mats are available. We encourage you to bring your own, as well as some water.
7-8:45am Breakfast, Dining Hall
7-9am Dining Services onboarding, HUB SRs
8:45-9am Financial Literacy, ATS
Discover essential skills for managing your money and building credit effectively while in college. Gain insights into budgeting, understanding credit and credit scores, and making smart financial choices.
9-9:30am Dialogues Across Differences, ATS
Dialogues Across Differences is a program that aims to educate students, faculty and community members on how to have productive dialogues in these polarized and divided times. Students who choose to participate take a full-credit academic class called “Speaking and Writing Across Differences,” which then makes them eligible for paid employment on campus as student dialogue coordinators. In this session, you will learn about the program and practice a micro-skill that you can use in your classes on the first day.
9:30-11am Ethical Reasoning in Practice, ATS
This interactive session prompts you to bring your assumptions and intuitions about moral problems to the surface as you practice ethical reasoning with your peers. The session offers the opportunity to discuss thought experiments and case studies, differentiate between combative and curious questions, share your perspective and listen with the aim of mutual understanding. The session concludes by offering you the chance to anonymously share your thoughts about possible moral problems and conflicts you may face during your time as a student at Dickinson. This is an important feature of Orientation, because we do not want to assume to know what you are thinking as new members of our community. Instead, we ask and listen.
11:15am-1pm Lunch, Dining Hall
12:45-2pm Why Are You Here? Various Locations
This is a thought-provoking start to your college experience, pushing you outside of your comfort zone and connecting you with your peers over some simple questions: “Why college?” “What are some of the reasons people might choose to go to college?” “How do my background and experiences shape my view of why college?”
- Allison Great Hall: Groups 1, 3, 4, 31, 38
- Social Hall: Groups 11, 5, 12, 20, 39
- Stern Great Room: Groups 19, 13, 7, 34
- Althouse 106: Groups 17, 16, 15, 32, 42
- ATS: Groups 35, 22, 18, 26, 36
- Rubendall Hall: Groups 29, 24, 8, 21, 33
- Denny 317: Groups 2, 25, 6, 30, 41
- Weiss 235: Groups 28, 27, 9, 37
Please review this brief reading ahead of time, as it will serve as a powerful catalyst for conversation in these sessions: William Cronon - Only Connect
2-4pm Nuts and Bolts: The Basics, across campus
This will provide a personal connection with the students that make Dickinson truly unique, a genuine perspective of life on campus and the opportunity to get answers to your burning questions!
- Allison Great Hall: Groups 1, 3, 4, 31, 38
- Social Hall: Groups 11, 5, 12, 20, 39
- Stern Great Room: Groups 19, 13, 7, 34
- Althouse 106: Groups 17, 16, 15, 32, 42
- ATS: Groups 35, 22, 18, 26, 36
- Rubendall Hall: Groups 29, 24, 8, 21, 33
- Denny 317: Groups 2, 25, 6, 30, 41
- Weiss 235: Groups 28, 27, 9, 37
5-6:30pm Dinner and OL time, Dining Hall
5-6:45pm Shabbat Service and Dinner, Asbell
7-9pm Women’s Soccer Home Opener
Walk down to D-Park with your Orientation group to enjoy Dickinson women’s soccer home opener against Penn State Harrisburg. Cheer on the Red Devils and grab a snack from the food truck on site!
9-11pm Dickinson After Dark – Dance on Britton, Britton Plaza
Join us on Britton Plaza for our late-night glow dance party! Dive into a night of fun music, desserts and glow chalk to cover the plaza! Get ready to connect with new friends as we kick off an incredible college journey together!
Saturday, August 31
7:30-8:30am Yoga, Kline Center Patio
Limited mats are available. We encourage you to bring your own, as well as some water.
7:30-8:30am Safely running around Carlisle with Don Nichter, Kline Lobby
Join the cross-country coach to learn the best places to run in Carlisle and enjoy a morning jog to Dickinson Park. Meet at the Kline Center fitness lobby.
7-8:45am Breakfast, Dining Hall
8-10am Conversations Worth Having: Shaping Community Through Dialogue
- Session 1, ATS, Groups 1-15
- Have you ever wondered how to start a conversation with a fellow student or college employee whom you are meeting for the first time? What if a conversation starts and then turns into a misunderstanding? How do you remain engaged and hopefully clear the misunderstanding? In this session, you will develop skills that will help you shape the Dickinson community into a place where you and everyone else feel safe and welcome regardless of your different backgrounds. You will learn how to: • Communicate in ways that build relationships and trust • Really listen so that others feel heard • Express empathy • De-escalate conflict
10am-12pm Conversations Worth Having: Shaping Community Through Dialogue
- Session 2, ATS, Groups 16-29
11:30am-1pm Lunch, Dining Hall
1-3pm Conversations Worth Having: Shaping Community Through Dialogue
- Session 3, ATS, Groups 30-42
3-5pm DEI Open House, Landis House
Join the representatives of the diversity, equity and inclusion division to learn more about our work creating a stronger community at Dickinson. This open house includes opportunities to meet the directors of the Women’s & Gender Resource Center (WGRC), the Asbell Center for Jewish Life and the LGBTQ+ Center and to learn more about programming across the DEI division, including upcoming Inclusivity Week events. Stop by for snacks and a tour!
5:30-7pm Dinner, Dining Hall
7-8pm Hypnotist, Social Hall
Join MOB to see the incredible hypnotist Derrick Watkins perform. You don’t want to miss this unforgettable evening of mind-bending fun!
8-10pm MOB Chill Event, Social Hall
Join MOB for light refreshments and arts and crafts. It’s the perfect way to unwind and connect with fellow classmates after a week of Orientation.
10pm-12am Dickinson After Dark – Outdoor Movei Night, Drayer Porch
“What are you doing in my swamp?!” Join us on Morgan Field, outside Drayer Hall, for a throwback movie night! Bring a blanket, enjoy some snacks and watch the truly iconic movie: Shrek.
Sunday, September 1
8-9am Yoga, Kline Center Patio
Limited mats are available. We encourage you to bring your own, as well as some water.
9-11am Class Tours, Britton Plaza
11am-2pm Brunch, Dining Hall
12-2pm Popsicles at the Paz, Paz Center
Join college advancement to see the John M. Paz ’78 Alumni & Family Center. This welcome center will be home to networking events, celebrations and more and will be your home on campus after you graduate. Grab some Dickinson swag and popsicles from your Dickinson alumni community!
12-12:45pm Academic Success Strategies Revealed (1, Groups 1-20), Social Hall
There are a lot of differences between how to succeed in high school vs. college. You will need to know how to manage your time well, how soon to start on papers and prepare for exams and how to capture and review lecture notes so you can recall information presented on a future test. Don’t miss this interactive strategy session, “How to Be a Successful College Student.”
1-1:45pm Academic Success Strategies Revealed (2, Groups 21-42), Social Hall
3-3:45pm Letters to Yourself, FYS classrooms
Meet with your Orientation leader and craft a letter to your future self. Take this time to share with your future self the goals you have already set, experiences you are looking forward to over the next four years or even just a silly joke to make your future self laugh out loud at the audacity. The next time you open this letter will be shortly before Commencement as you prepare to depart Dickinson, and a thoughtful letter will surprise you with how much you will have grown! Questions to consider:
- What do you think you may major in?
- What connections have you made during Orientation?
- Reflecting on sessions from Orientation, why are you here and what do you hope to do here?
- What goals do you have for yourself?
- Any funny stories to write about from your first few days?
Be sure to write your first and last name and your class year on your sealed envelope.
4pm Convocation, Academic Quad
The Convocation ceremony brings together the entire Dickinson community to mark the start of the academic year and welcomes new students, faculty and administrators. This will include the time-honored tradition of signing into the college for transfer students and the class of 2028. Members of the class of 2025 are invited to join faculty and administrators in the academic procession preceding the ceremony and should meet on Britton Plaza at 3:45 p.m., with the procession beginning at 4 p.m. In the event of severe weather, the ceremony will occur in ATS. Families can watch the livestream at dickinson.edu/convocation.
5:30-7:30pm Welcome Back Dinner, Dining Hall
All are welcome to attend a culinary masterclass at our favorite dining establishment, and we’ll add in some live music as well. An evening for reunion and good times, this dinner will be a great kickoff for an even greater semester.
7-8pm Catholic Mass, Allison Interfaith Chapel