Family Orientation

  • Summer 2026 New Family/Supporter Orientation
  • Welcome Week 2026 (Coming May 2026)
  • Growing Oranges Virtual Series for New Families (Coming May 2026)
  • Videos from New Student and Family/Supporter Sessions (Coming in late July 2026)

Summer 2026 New Family/Supporter Orientation

This program is for first-year families and supporters with students entering in Fall 2026. Each student may register up to two family members or supporters to attend New Student Orientation with them. There is no cost for family members or supporters to attend, including food and materials for all sessions. Family and supporters are responsible for their own overnight accommodations and travel accommodations for the program.

If you are the family of a transfer student, please note that transfer student orientation is on Wednesday, August 19 and details will be sent to your student this summer.

Please note: If your student is unable to attend in July, all orientation requirements are fulfilled during Welcome Week (required for all new students).

Benefits of Attending:

  • Become familiar with campus resources and support systems and confident in sharing information with their student.
  • Families/supporters that attended the program previously indicated that it increased their preparedness to support their student’s transition to the University.
  • Learn about your student’s academic area including academic advising.

Orientation Schedule Highlights

Select schools and colleges will be represented at each session. When you access the registration form, please be sure to select the same session that your student registered for (based on their primary school or college). For example, a first-year student with dual majors in the College of Arts and Sciences and the School of Education will only see sessions available to students in the College of Arts and Sciences.

Note that space for each orientation session is limited.

Two-Day Program

First-year students and families/supporters in the following schools and colleges will be eligible to attend Session 1.

  • College of Arts and Sciences | Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs
  • College of Engineering and Computer Science (ECS)
  • College of Visual and Performing Arts (VPA)
  • School of Information Studies (iSchool)

First-year students and families/supporters in the following schools and colleges will be eligible to attend Session 2.

  • College of Arts and Sciences | Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs
  • College of Engineering and Computer Science (ECS)
  • School of Architecture
  • School of Education
  • S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications

First-year students and families/supporters in the following schools and colleges will be eligible to attend Session 3.

  • College of Visual and Performing Arts (VPA)
  • David B. Falk College of Sport
  • Martin J. Whitman School of Management
  • School of Information Studies (iSchool)

First-year students and families/supporters in the following schools and colleges will be eligible to attend Session 4.

  • David B. Falk College of Sport
  • Martin J. Whitman School of Management
  • School of Architecture
  • School of Education
  • S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications

For Session 1-4 , the schedule highlights of the two-day session including the following. The program will run from 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. with check-in beginning at 7:15 a.m.

Day 1

  • Program check-in and breakfast
  • Campus community and safety presentations
  • Group meetings led by Family Support Navigators (FSNs).
  • Resource fair and lunch in an on-campus dining center.
  • Health, Wellness and Support Panel
  • Breakout sessions for families to gain information about campus departments based on individual interests.
  • Catered dinner
  • Evening on your own.

Day 2

  • Light breakfast
  • Center for Student Excellence presentation
  • Final small group meeting with Family Support Navigators (FSNs)
  • Academic school and college meetings
  • Catered Lunch
  • Residential Living: What Does It Mean to Live in Community?
  • Closing session and program assessment

One-Day Program

For Session 5 (Monday, July 20), the schedule highlights of the one-day session including the following. The program will run from 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. with check-in beginning at 7:15 a.m.

Families/supporters of students in all schools and colleges will be eligible to attend Session 5

  • Program check-in and breakfast
  • Campus community and safety presentations
  • Group meeting led by Family Support Navigators (FSNs).
  • Catered lunch
  • Residential Living: What Does It Mean to Live in Community?
  • Academic school and college meetings
  • Health, Wellness and Support Panel
  • Breakout sessions for families to gain information about campus departments based on individual interests.
  • Closing session and program assessment
Click the button below to register (please use the Student Registration Code your student received via e-mail).

Register Here!

Growing Oranges

Coming in May 2026!

Welcome Week 2026 Information

Coming in May 2026!

Orange Family Resources

As a member of the Orange community, we invite you to further explore the following resource highlights.