On Wednesday, August 24, Gettysburg College will welcome new students to our community as 704 first-year students and 11 transfer students arrive on campus.
“We have been excitedly preparing for all of our new students to come on campus and welcome them as part of the Gettysburg College community,” said Orientation Coordinator Ashley Sauer ’17. “We really hope they have as much fun during Orientation as we have had planning it.”
More than 200 volunteers will greet the new students and their families as they help with the move-in process. Traffic patterns around campus will be altered in order to facilitate unloading.
The incoming students will officially matriculate at the 185th Convocation ceremony. The ceremony—which will be held rain or shine—will take place on the Beachem Portico on the north side of Pennsylvania Hall at 4 p.m. After a welcome from Sauer and an address from Psychology Prof. Sahana Mukherjee, the class will proceed through historic Pennsylvania Hall, marking their first steps as members of the Gettysburg College community.
The ceremony will be livestreamed and will have an alternate viewing location on campus at Mara Auditorium in Masters Hall. In case of inclement weather, students and their families are encouraged to bring appropriate rain gear.
View the entire Move-In Day and Orientation week schedule here.
The 14th annual First-Year Walk will be held the following day. Gettysburg College students, faculty, and staff will walk from the College to the national cemetery, recreating the walk taken in 1863 as members of the College community accompanied President Abraham Lincoln to the cemetery where he delivered the Gettysburg Address. The Supervisory Historian for Interpretation and Education at Gettysburg National Military Park, College alumnus Chris Gwinn ‘06, is the event’s featured speaker. Mayor Theodore Streeter will also speak at the event and welcome the incoming class by presenting Seth Zimmann ’20 with a key to the town.
Other notable events for new students include Friday morning’s GIV Day, Saturday evening’s Experience Gettysburg event (a livestreamed forum offering perspectives from current students), and Sunday afternoon’s Field Day on Stine Lake.
Check out the top 10 Orientation experiences here and view other College traditions here.
Use #gburg2020 on Twitter and Instagram to join the conversation, follow the incoming class’s experience, and share your own Orientation stories. First-years can stay up-to-date with everything Orientation through the Gettysburg College: Class of 2020 Facebook page.