New Student Orientation
Student Orientation Schedule | |||
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Items in maroon are required | |||
Monday, January 8, 2024 | |||
Start | End | Event | Location |
9:00 AM | 12:00 PM | Resident Student Move-In Plan to arrive on campus during this window of time. Please visit the DOS office in the Cate Center to receive your key before proceding to your Residence Hall. | Residence Halls |
9:00 AM | 5:00 PM | Campus Errands (optional) Use this time to do any necessary business on campus before Tuesday's program begins | Various Locations |
5:30 PM | 7:00 PM | New Student Meet Up and Dinner (optional)* Connect with others that are starting their Meredith journey and get a jump start on tomorrow's program | Gather at Johnson Hall Rotunda |
Tuesday, January 9, 2024 | |||
Start | End | Event | Location |
9:30 AM | 10:20 AM | Check in and Resource Fair Get to meet other new students and visit with staff from various departments on campus. During this time make sure to get your CamCard (Student ID), if you have not already. | Cate Center |
10:30 AM | 11:00 AM | Welcome Start the day off with an official welcome to campus. | Kresge Auditorium |
11:00 AM | 11:45 AM | Academic Success at Meredith Learn what it takes to be successful at Meredith, the resources at your disposal, and how to take ownership of your academic endevours. | Kresge Auditorium |
12:00 PM | 1:00 PM | Lunch with Orientation Groups* Connect with your Student Advisor and walk over to lunch where you can enjoy conversation with other sutdents in your group. | Belk Dining Hall |
1:00 PM | 2:00 PM | Health and Wellness at Meredith Staff will present information and resources related to student health and wellness with an emphasis on healthy relationships and Title IX policies and reporting procedures | Harris 110 |
2:00 PM | 2:30 PM | Get to Know the Library Take part in a tour of the Carlyle Campbell Library and learn about the many resources available to you. | Library |
2:30 PM | 3:15 PM | Connected @ Meredith Discover technology resources and services available to you as a student and learn the expectations on how to be safe and responsible online | Freeman Room |
3:30 PM | 4:15 PM | Getting Involved on Campus Join the staff of Student Leadership and Service and several student leaders to learn about how to get involved. | Harris 110 |
4:15 PM | 4:45 PM | What's Next Debrief the day and ask unanswered questions as we wrap up Orientation and get ready for the days to come. | Harris 110 |
4:45 PM | 5:00 PM | Honor Code Ceremony This longstanding tradition provides you an opportunity to undetstand and celebrate both the Honor Code and the Honor System at Meredith | Johnson Hall Rotunda |
5:00 PM | 5:30 PM | Navigating Campus (Optional) Still unsure where your classes meet? Student Advisors will take you around so you feel a bit more familiar with campus. | Walk through your schedule |
Wednesday, January 10, 2024 | |||
Start | End | Event | Location |
First Day of Classes! | |||
5:00 PM | 7:00 PM | Student Organization Fair** Get involved at MC! The Spring Student Organization Fair is a showcase of Meredith's 100+ student organizations on campus and a chance for you to connect with student leaders to learn about what each group does throughout the year. Whatever you may be passionate about, these groups are eager to meet you and help you get involved! Can't make it? Check out our student involvement software: MC Connect | Cate Center |
Friday, January 12, 2024 | |||
Start | End | Event | Location |
10:00 AM | 10:50 AM | Student Advisor Meet Up** Now that you have a few days under your belt, use this time to check in with your Student Advisor along with other new students like you. | TBA |
Monday, January 29, 2024 | |||
Start | End | Event | Location |
10:00 AM | 10:50 AM | Acclimating to Campus with StrongPoints** It's been awhile. Explore how your acclimation to Merdith is going during a unique workshop that centers around your 5 Top Strengths. How can you use these strengths to your advantage in the months ahead? StrongPoints will show you how. | TBA |
* Resident students use their meal plan. Commuter students receive a meal voucher for lunch and dinner. | |||
** Students that attend both programs held during the first month of classes will receive a gift/incentive |
WELCOME TO MEREDITH!
Immerse yourself in the campus community, connect with new classmates and upperclass Student Advisors, explore academic and campus resources, and have tons of fun!
Through New Student Orientation you will find everything you need to get off on the right foot at Meredith. We look forward to welcoming you to campus, balloon arches and all.
New Student Orientation is a required program of all new students– first year, transfer, and Wings– regardless of living on or off campus.
Contact Information
Chrissie Bumgardner
Co-Director, First Year Experience
bumgardner@meredith.edu
Lisa Brown
Co-Director, First Year Experience
lmbrown@meredith.edu
New Student Orientation
August 17-20, 2024
New Student Move-In: Saturday, August 17, 2024
To alleviate wait times for resident students, a staggered arrival schedule has been created for Move-In Day. Please adhere to your assigned move-in window of time between 8 a.m. and 12 Noon as best as possible.
Some students may arrive early for our pre-orientation programs. International Students, those enrolled in Bridge, and Fall Season Athletes will move in on Wednesday, August 14. These students will receive additional information regarding move-in and their schedule from their program.
For more move-in information, please consult Residence Life’s New Student Newsletter.
First-Year Student Orientation: August 17-20, 2024
Programming begins for all new students– first year and transfer– at 3 p.m. on Saturday, August 17th. Commuting students should plan to arrive on campus between 2 and 2:45 p.m. for check-in.
All new students should expect to be busy with orientation throughout the four-day experience.
Wings Student Orientation: August 20, 2024
Wings Students will have a condensed orientation program on Tuesday, August 20th from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. We strongly encourage our Wings students to stay for the Massey House Tour, Dinner, and Honor Code Ceremony that evening.
Transfer Student Orientation: August 17-20, 2024
Transfer students are expected to participate alongside our first-year students for the four-day program. Transfer students will be assigned to the same small groups, allowing participants to meet other transfers.
Transfer students are also eligible to participate in our one-day program with our Wings students. Please contact Steven Lemmons in the Student Success Center for more information about this option.
Classes Begin: Wednesday, August 21, 2024
More Information:
Commemorate your first days on campus with the official New Student Orientation T-Shirt, featuring an iconic Meredith Balloon Arch!
At this time, pre-orders have been placed.
Shirts will be distributed on Move-In Day (August 19).
Move-In Day
New students and their families receive a fun-filled arrival on campus starting at the front gate! Our boisterous team of students (known as the OCrew) pay forward the welcome shown to them while alumnae, members of our Parent’s Council, and upperclass Student Advisors are on hand all day to extend the welcome.
Honor Code Ceremony
During this long-held tradition, new students recite the honor pledge and sign pledge cards to “faithfully uphold the principles of the Honor Code.” According to the Student Handbook, a student’s enrollment is not considered complete until the Honor Pledge has been signed.
Tour of the Massey House
Since the 1970s, it’s been a tradition for new students to visit the President’s home during their very first few days on campus. President Jo Allen hosts tours of the lovely residence, more formally known as the Massey House, and personally greets each student upon arrival.
As a first-year commuter student, you will participate in the full four-day orientation program which will take place from Saturday, August 19 – Tuesday, August 22. Plan to arrive on campus on Saturday between 2:00 and and 2:45 PM to check-in. Our full program starts at 3:00 PM.
We do our best to arrange the schedule so that commuter students are able to maximize their time on campus. Expect to be busy with orientation programming throughout the four-day experience. A detailed schedule will be available in early August.
As an international student, you will need to familiarize yourself with so much more beyond Meredith College. To help you in your transition to the states, there is a pre-orientation program designed specifically for you before you join the campus-wide program. This International Orientation will take place August 16 – 18, 2023.
Undergraduate students will then join their peers for New Student Orientation from August 19 – 22, 2023. For more information, be sure to visit our page for International Students.
We recognize that you have been to college before and may have different needs than our first-year students do. Therefore, our orientation for transfer students is designed to help distinguish Meredith from your previous institution, while not to devalue your growth that has occurred along the way.
Transfer students will be placed into groups with other transfers to foster an environment for you to meet and get to know other students like you. These groups will be led by our Wings and Transfer Advisors (WTAs) who are upper-class students, many of which were transfer students too.
As a transfer student, you are expected to participate in the four-day orientation program. However, you may be eligible to opt into our “Fast Track” program alongside of our Wings students.
The Student Success Center will reach out in early August to discuss your options and set you on the right course for your transition.
We recognize that as an adult student, you have different needs as well as unique time constraints compared to other new students. Therefore, we have condensed our four-day experience to a “Fast Track” Program for you on Tuesday, August 22, 2023. Your orientation program will connect you to the right people at the right time and give you the information you need to start strong. You will have the opportunity to meet other adult students, receive advice from our Wings and Transfer Student Advisors, and participate in some of our most favorite New Student Orientation traditions.
While the one-day program for Wings students is required, we also encourage our adult students to attend several key programs during the four-day program, if your schedule allows. These include the Welcome Session for New Students, the Campus Life Skit, the Massey House Tour, Celebratory Dinner, and the Honor Code Ceremony. A detailed schedule will be available in early August.
Resident students are assigned parking permits, which allow them to park in designated residential parking areas. Commuter students must park in designated commuter parking lots between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday-Friday. Between 4 p.m. and 7 a.m. during the week and throughout the weekend, all students may park in the following areas: Alumnae Parking Lot, Chapel Parking Lot, Cate Center Parking Lot, and the small parking lot behind Martin Hall. If students plan to bring their car to campus, they must purchase a parking permit from the Campus Police Building during their first week on campus.
The Campus Police Building is located behind Poteat Residence Hall and is open from 7:30 a.m.- 4 p.m. Mon.-Fri. Students may also visit Campus Police to have their CamCards created during Orientation. Campus Police can be reached at (919) 760-8888.
Greetings!
Welcome to Meredith College and the Meredith College family. The strength of Meredith is in its people – the students, the faculty, the staff, and…the parents and families of our students. We are proud and very excited that you and your family have chosen Meredith for your student’s higher education. We understand that so much of the success that she has attained so far has resulted from your support and encouragement.
Your continued support will be critical to your student’s success at Meredith. Families are invited to the first day of New Student Orientation, and we have provided information below that may assist you in supporting your Meredith student during the course of the year. Additionally, we want you to contact us if you have questions and concerns. We look forward to seeing you in August! Welcome to the MC family!
Ann Gleason, Dean of Students
(919) 760-8521 | deanofstudents@meredith.edu
Stay Involved With Your Student’s Meredith Experience!
See these tips for being an involved and supportive parent:
- DO Share in your student’s enthusiasm and excitement.
- DO Expect homesickness (if your student lives on campus) and times when college life seems overwhelming.
- DO Encourage your student to accept responsibility and become her own problem-solver.
- DO Expect change and give her space to grow.
- DO Listen, write, call, and send care packages – discuss what would work best in keeping the communication lines open.
- DO Find new interests to help you let go.
- DO Encourage your student to get involved on campus and to participate in weekend programs, traditions and events.
- DON’T rush to the rescue. Encourage and support, but let her handle concerns and issues. If she needs additional support, remind her of on-campus resources and offices available to her.
- DON’T Encourage coming home often. Students make smoother transitions and are happier if they stay on campus long enough to make friends and get involved.
- DON’T Expect many letters or phone calls. Sometimes students get caught up in a whirlwind of activity and forget to stay in touch.
- DON’T be surprised if she changes her mind on her major and career interests.
Important campus offices and resources.
Meredith College has a strong history of parent and family programming and philanthropy. For more information, click here.
Join the Meredith Parents and Families Facebook Page!
Raleigh is often cited as one of the best places to live and work in America. We’re proud to call it home.
Find more information at https://www.visitraleigh.com/ to plan your stay while attending New Student Orientation.
Please email deanofstudents@meredith.edu if you have any questions.
Important Reminders for New Students
Academic and Medical Records
Acceptance for admission to Meredith College is contingent upon the receipt of a satisfactory final academic record and a completed medical form.
Students must submit their completed medical forms promptly. The Health Center staff will advise students if any required health information was omitted. Both medical and academic records must be complete and submitted to the Office of Admissions before attending classes.
Questions? Contact the Office of Admissions at (919) 760-8581.
Health Insurance
All required* students must enroll in Meredith’s BCBS insurance or opt out by completing a waiver with your personal insurance information in the Meredith BCBS insurance portal.
*Required students include all full-time undergraduates, licensure only, pre-health, I-O Psych, international, study abroad, and dietetic interns.
The Health Insurance Waiver Portal will open June 1st for the Fall 2024 and can be accessed for wavier or enrollment actions through 5:00 P.M. EDT on Wednesday, September 11, 2024.
Move-In Day Arrival Chart
August 17, 2024
8:00 AM
3rd Brewer
Even Numbered Rooms
3rd Faircloth
Even Numbered Rooms
3rd Heilman
Even Numbered Rooms
8:40 AM
1st & 4th Brewer
Odd Numbered Rooms
1st Faircloth
Odd Numbered Rooms
1st Heilman
Odd Numbered Rooms
9:20 AM
2nd Brewer
Even Numbered Rooms
2nd Faircloth
Even Numbered Rooms
2nd Heilman
Even Numbered Rooms
10:00 AM
3rd Brewer
Odd Numbered Rooms
3rd Faircloth
Odd Numbered Rooms
3rd Heilman
Odd Numbered Rooms
10:40 AM
1st & 4th Brewer
Even Numbered Rooms
1st Faircloth
Even Numbered Rooms
1st Heilman
Even Numbered Rooms
11:20 AM
2nd Brewer
Odd Numbered Rooms
2nd Faircloth
Odd Numbered Rooms
2nd Heilman
Odd Numbered Rooms
12:00 PM
Any Floor
Any Room
Any Floor
Any Room
Any Floor
Any Room
Time
Event
Location
10-10:30 A.M.
Cate Center
10:30-11:00 A.M.
Welcome
Welcome to campus! Dean of Students Ann Gleason and Steven Lemmons will set the stage for the day ahead and offer advice for making the most of your time at Meredith.
Kresge Auditorium
11-11:30 A.M.
Getting Involved @ Meredith
Staff from the Office of Student Leadership and Service will share information about important traditions at Meredith and how to get involved.
Kresge Auditorium