On Wednesday, Aug. 23, Gettysburg College will welcome the newest members of our campus community as the Class of 2027 moves in. Before arriving at Gettysburg, here are three things to know about Orientation.
1. Students, volunteers will assist families for Move-In Day
The Gettysburg College community is ready to assist families with Move-In Day on Wednesday, Aug. 23. Signs will be posted along the major entry points to campus, including Carlisle Street, York Street, Chambersburg Street, and Old Harrisburg Road, directing vehicles to the entrance of the Central Energy Plant (CEP) lot. Use 260 Constitution Ave. on your GPS to help you navigate to the lot.
Once in the lot, vehicles will be separated by residence hall—Hanson, Patrick, Huber, Rice, Paul, and Stine. A staff member from the Office of Residential Education will meet each family and provide a card containing their housing information and a map to help them reach designated parking lots after unloading their vehicles. Campus Safety requests that drivers stay with their vehicle at all times; vehicles will need to be moved once they are unloaded.
Student and staff volunteers will be on hand Wednesday morning to help students and their families with the move-in process.
View the Gettysburg College campus map.
2. Opening Convocation welcomes new students to Gettysburg
First-year students will officially matriculate at the 192nd opening Convocation ceremony. Andrew Lemon ’24, president of the Student Senate, will greet first-years on behalf of the Gettysburg student body, and Economics Prof. Rimvydas Baltaduonis will serve as the faculty speaker.
The ceremony will take place rain or shine outdoors at the Beachem Portico on the north side of Pennsylvania Hall at 4 p.m. Upon the conclusion of Convocation, members of the Class of 2027 will enter through the doors of Pennsylvania Hall, commemorating their first steps taken as new members of the Gettysburg College community.
View the schedule for Move-In Day and Convocation.
3. First-Year Walk marks milestone anniversary with Class of 2027
The Class of 2027 will be the 20th class of first-year students who will participate in the annual First-Year Walk tradition on Thursday, Aug. 24. The First-Year Walk, which began in 2003, commemorates the walk taken on Nov. 19, 1863. On that day, students and faculty of the College joined the Gettysburg community as they accompanied President Abraham Lincoln to the dedication ceremony for Gettysburg National Cemetery, where Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address. Later this fall in November, the Gettysburg community will commemorate the 160th anniversary of the dedication of Gettysburg National Cemetery.
Orientation Coordinator Antoinette Chango ’24 will share reflections on the walk from a student perspective, while Political Science Prof. Lindsay Reid will serve as the faculty speaker. Gettysburg Mayor Rita Frealing will also speak at the event and welcome the Class of 2027 to Gettysburg by presenting Jack Thompson ’27 with a key to the city.
The First-Year Walk begins at Christ Chapel on the College campus at 6 p.m. and will conclude at Gettysburg National Military Park.
Additional Orientation events for new students include GIV (Gettysburg Is Volunteering) Day on Friday morning, Aug. 25; Experience Gettysburg, a forum that features current students providing their perspectives on Gettysburg College to new students, on Saturday, Aug. 26; and a Field Day on Memorial Field on Saturday, Aug. 27. First-year students can access their full Orientation schedule by logging into Navigate.
Use #gburg2027 on Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter) to join the conversation, follow the Class of 2027 as they take their first steps to pursuing A Consequential Education at Gettysburg College, and share your Orientation stories and messages of support to our newest Gettysburgians.
By Michael Vyskocil
Photos by Shawna Sherrell
Posted: 08/16/23