NEW STUDENT ORIENTATION SCHEDULE
AUGUST 19–23, 2023
Saturday, August 19
Note: Events in red are required.
| Start | End | Event | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8:00 a.m. | 12:30 p.m. | New Student Move In | Residence Halls |
| 11:00 a.m. | 2:00 p.m. | Family Lunch* | Belk Dining Hall |
| 1:00 p.m. | 2:00 p.m. | Reception for Parents and Family Members of New Students Meet President Allen and connect with other families during this drop-in reception. | Johnson Hall Rotunda |
| 2:00 p.m. | 2:45 p.m. | Commuter Student Check In | Cate Center Lobby |
| 3:00 p.m. | 3:45 p.m. | Welcome to Meredith Students join President Jo Allen, Vice President Jean Jackson, and Student Government Association President Mary Grace Teachey as they share reflections and offer advice for making the most of your time at Meredith. | Jones Auditorium |
| 3:45 p.m. | 5:00 p.m. | Meet & Greet with Student Advisors Gather with your Student Advisor (SA) Groups outside of Jones Auditorium. SAs will lead you to your Homeroom and give you time to connect with other new students in your group. | SA Group Homerooms |
| 5:00 p.m. | 7:00 p.m. | Dinner* | Belk Dining Hall |
| 7:00 p.m. | 8:00 p.m. | First Floor Meeting (required of all first year and transfer resident students) Get to know other students on your hall and and review a few basics for community living. | Residence Halls |
| 8:00 p.m. | 10:00 p.m. | Ignite the Night: New Student Bonfire Bash sponsored by RHA Celebrate your first night on campus with newly made friends over a bonfire, yard games, and a s'more (or two). Sponsored by the Residence Hall Association (RHA) | Beach Courtyard |
| * Resident students use their meal plan. Commuter students receive a meal voucher for all meals in red. $10.50/person otherwise. |
Sunday, August 20
Note: Events in red are required.
| Start | End | Event | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8:00 a.m. | 1:00 p.m. | Breakfast and/or Lunch* Full Breakfast from 8-10 a.m.; Lunch service from 11 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. | Belk Dining Hall |
| 10:00 a.m. | 11:00 a.m. | Yoga on the Green Connect with your heart, mind, body, and breath to cultivate strength and balance. In this vinyasa style flow, participants will link their breath with purposeful movement and leave with tools they can access on and off the mat. Come as you are and take the pace and movement you need in your body. Leave feeling centered, grounded and empowered. Bring a towel/mat and dress in comfortable clothes to move freely. | McIver Ampitheater |
| 11:30 a.m. | 12:30 p.m. | Early College Student Lunch Meet Up Are you entering Meredith with your Associates Degree? Gather over lunch with Dr. Tina Romanelli and meet other new students coming in with college credit. | Belk Dining Hall |
| 1:00 p.m. | 2:00 p.m. | Student Safety and Success Living on campus? Members of the Residence Life team review the expectations of living, learning, and staying safe in our campus community. Required of all first year and transfer resident students. | Jones Auditorium |
| 1:00 p.m. | 2:00 p.m. | Commuter Student Information Session Not living on campus? Attend this session designed to get you connected to each other, campus resources, as well as the Association of Meredith Commuters (AMC). Required of all first year and transfer commuter students | Kresge Auditorium |
| 2:00 p.m. | 5:15 p.m. | SA Group Sunday Rotations Gather with your SA Group before Sunday Rotations. SAs will escort their group to each program at the assigned time. Consult with your SA for your group's specific schedule | Start in SA Group Homerooms |
| the following sessions are included in Sunday Rotations: | |||
| 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. | Kresge Auditorium | ||
| Community Is Created: An introduction to DEI at Meredith Meredith is committed to building an inclusive community and asks each student to play a role. Be a part of the discussion. | Jones Chapel | ||
| Navigating Campus Go beyond the typical campus tour and discover the places that you will not only frequent as a student, but learn to appreciate as well. | Various Locations | ||
| 5:15 p.m. | 7:00 p.m. | Dinner with SA group* | Belk Dining Hall |
| 7:00 p.m. | 8:00 p.m. | Campus Life Skit Enjoy a comical yet informative performance introducing you to the many opportunities, resources, and campus traditions that exist at Meredith. | Jones Auditorium |
| 8:00 p.m. | 10:00 p.m. | Meredith Mingle Sponsored by the Student Success Center Keep the fun going after the skit at our party sponsored by the Student Success Center. | In front of Johnson Hall |
| * Resident students use their meal plan. Commuter students receive a meal voucher for all meals in red. $10.50/person otherwise. |
Monday, August 21
Note: Events in red are required.
| Start | End | Event | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7:00 a.m. | 10:00 a.m. | Breakfast* | Belk Dining Hall |
| 7:30 a.m. | 8:30 a.m. | Meredith Mile Walk/Run Meet Up Join other movement-minded students to complete your first "Meredith Mile." | Heck Fountain, Main Courtyard |
| 10:00 a.m. | 3:00 p.m. | SA Group Monday Rotations Meet up with your SA at the specified times to go through your Monday Rotations. Time for lunch and mental health breaks are included during the day. Consult with your SA for your group's specific schedule. | Various Locations |
| The following sessions are included in the rotations | |||
| Get to Know the Library Take part in a 25 minute tour of the Carlyle Campbell Library and learn about the many resources available to you. | Carlyle Campbell Library | ||
| Strengths 101 Continue the conversation from StartStrong regarding your strengths and how you can best apply them at Meredith. | Various Locations | ||
| Team Building with the Student Success Center A key to success in college is feeling connected to a community of people you can call friends. This interactive session led by our Student Success Center team will help you along that path. | Various Locations | ||
| Connection with your SA As a part of this session, your SA will facilitate the First Year Start Strong Survey. This survey includes questions about activities prior to college and your expectations for the first year. | SA Group Homeroom | ||
| 11:30 a.m. | 1:30 p.m. | Lunch Rotations with SA Group* Check with your SA for the specific time of your lunch rotation. | Belk Dining Hall |
| 2:00 p.m. | 5:00 p.m. | Technology Services Pop-Up Hours Have a specific questions or need help with technology on campus? Stop by during Pop-Up Hours. | 1st Floor Cate Center |
| 3:00 p.m. | 4:00 p.m. | Disability Services Information Session Meet the staff who head up Disability Services and learn about the direct services available to students including how to qualify for accommodations. | Harris 102 |
| 3:00 p.m. | 3:45 p.m. | Mindfulness Meditation Join the Meredith Chaplain, Stacy Pardue, for a guided meditation including an introduction to mindfulness practices. Mindfulness helps us focus on the present to fight stress and anxiety; skills for a lifetime. Please bring a meditation pillow, yoga mat or towel. | Chapel Common Room |
| 4:00 p.m. | 5:00 p.m. | Line Dance Party Get ready to dance! We will do old favorites like the Electric Slide, Cupid Shuffle, Wobble, Power Slide, and more! No experience is necessary. | Weatherspoon 31 (Studio A) |
| 5:00 p.m. | 7:00 p.m. | Dinner* | Belk Dining Hall |
| 7:00 p.m. | 9:00 p.m. | Game Night sponsored by the Counseling Center and Disability Services It's time for fun and games! New friends, snacks, Clue, Apples to Apples, Jenga, Pictionary, checkers, and more! Croquet anyone, or are you a card player? Maybe coloring pages or puzzles sound relaxing. Hang out with upper-class students and the Counseling Center and Disability Services team for some laid-back fun or a little friendly competition. You choose! | Cate Center |
| * Resident students use their meal plan. Commuter students receive a meal voucher for all meals in red. $10.50/person otherwise. |
Tuesday, August 22
Note: Events in red are required.
| Start | End | Event | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7:00 a.m. | 10:00 a.m. | Breakfast* | Belk Dining Hall |
| 7:30 a.m. | 8:30 a.m. | Meredith Mile Walk/Run Meet Up Join other movement-minded students in the "Meredith Mile." | Heck Fountain, Main Courtyard |
| 9:00 a.m. | 12:00 p.m. | Academic Check In Take this time to meet your faculty advisor and make sure you are good to go for the First Day of Classes (FDOC). Consult with your SA for your group's specific schedule. | Various Locations |
| 11:00 a.m. | 1:00 p.m. | Lunch* | Belk Dining Hall |
| 1:00 p.m. | 2:00 p.m. | 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. | Jones Auditorium |
| 4:30 p.m. | 8:30 p.m. | FDOC Eve Traditions The night before the First Day of Classes (FDOC) includes a series of traditions for new students and this progressive event covers them all. Dressy casual attire is encouraged. SAs escort their group to each location at the assigned time. | Various Locations |
| The following activities are included in the progressive event | |||
| Massey House Tour Since the 1970s, its been a tradition for new students to visit the President's home, the Massey House. Students get to meet President Jo Allen and tour the place that she calls home. | Massey House | ||
| Celebratory Dinner* Celebrate FDOC Eve with an elevated dining experience sponsored by the Office of the President. | Belk Dining Hall | ||
| Dessert Reception* Progress on to desserts at this photo worthy spot. | Johnson Hall Rotunda | ||
| Honor Code Ceremony This longstanding tradition provides students the opportunity to understand and celebrate the Honor Code at Meredith. At the conclusion of the ceremony, each student will sign the Honor Code. | Jones Auditorium | ||
| * Resident students use their meal plan. Commuter students receive a meal voucher for all meals in red. $10.50/person otherwise. |
Wednesday, August 23
| Start | End | Event | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8:00 a.m. | First Day of Classes | ||
| 5:00 p.m. | 7:00 p.m. | Student Organization and Services Fair | Meredith Mall |
Fast Track Schedule - Tuesday, August 22
For Wings Students and Transfers who Opt-In Only
Note: Events in red are required.
| Start time | End Time | Event | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10:00 AM | 10:30 AM | Fast Track & Wings Check-in | Cate Center |
| 10:30 AM | 11:00 AM | 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 |
| 11:00 AM | 11:30 AM | 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 |
| 11:30 AM | 12:30 PM | Lunch with WTA groups* Gather with your Wings and Transfer Advisor (WTA groups) and walk over to lunch where you can enjoy conversation with other students in your group. | Belk Dining Hall |
| 12:30 PM | 1:00 PM | Navigating Campus WTAs will point out the key places on campus you will frequent as a student. Tour will end at Jones Auditorium. | Various Locations |
| 1:00 PM | 2:00 PM | Health and Wellness at Meredith Join our first year students in Jones Auditorium where staff will present information and resources related to student health and wellness. Emphasis will be placed on healthy relationships and Title IX policies and reporting procedures. | Jones Auditorium |
| 2:00 PM | 3:00 PM | Connect @ 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 (in the Library) |
| 3:00 PM | 3:30 PM | Get to Know the Library Take part in a 25 minute tour of the Carlyle Campbell Library and learn about the many resources available to you. | Carlyle Campbell Library |
| 3:30 PM | 4:30 PM | Strengths 101 Learn more about Meredith's unique advising and personal coaching program, StrongPoints, and how you can identify and build upon your strengths during your time as a student. | Kresge Auditorium |
| 4:30 PM | 8:30 PM | FDOC Eve Traditions The night before the First Day of Classes includes a series of traditions for new students and this progressive event covers them all. Dressy casual attire is encouraged. WTAs escort their group to each location at the assigned time. | Various Locations |
| The following events are included in the progressive event | |||
| Massey House Tour Since the 1970s, its been a tradition for new students to visit the President's home, the Massey House. Students get to meet President Jo Allen and tour the place that she calls home. | Massey House | ||
| Celebratory Dinner* Celebrate FDOC Eve with an elevated dining experience sponsored by the Office of the President. | Belk Dining Hall | ||
| Dessert Reception* Progress on to desserts at this photo worthy spot-- the rotunda and the Meredith Fountain in front of Johnson Hall. | Johnson Hall Rotunda | ||
| Honor Code Ceremony This longstanding tradition provides students the opportunity to understand and celebrate the Honor Code at Meredith. At the conclusion of the ceremony, each student will sign the Honor Code. | Jones Auditorium | ||
| * Resident students use their meal plan. Commuter students receive a meal voucher for all meals in red. $10.50/person otherwise. |
