Orientation events welcome students to campus, community

August 26, 2011

UAF photo by Maureen McCombs. Freshmen jump in front of the UAF time and temperature sign during the scavenger hunt as part of student orientation.

Marmian Grimes
907-474-7902
8/26/11

The University of Alaska Fairbanks will welcome more than 800 new students starting this weekend at the kickoff of new student orientation activities. The four-day event, which runs Sunday, Aug. 28 through Wednesday, Aug. 31, will include workshops and activities for new students and their families, as well as opportunities for students to connect with the Fairbanks community.

Orientation will officially kick off at 7:45 p.m. at Beluga Field with a dedication of the campus’ new Outdoor Education Center. Students will have the chance to meet their orientation leaders and members of their orientation group. Highlights of this year’s new student orientation events include workshops on making sound financial choices in college, a college-life game show, a city tour, sessions with tips for academic success, a disc golf tournament, a special late-night shopping event at West Fairbanks Fred Meyer and a mixer for family members at the Pub Sunday evening. A full schedule of events, as well as information on how to register for orientation, is available online at www.uaf.edu/orientation.

Campus residence halls will open for students to begin moving in at 8 a.m. Sunday Aug. 28. Student move-in includes “Rev It Up” activities in Hess Recreation Center in the Moore-Bartlett-Skarland complex from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event is designed to be a one-stop resource for incoming freshmen, but is open to any student. It includes representatives from a wide variety of student services departments on campus who provide information on academics and student life. Residence Life staff members, community volunteers and UAF staffers will be there to help students move into their new homes. This year, more than 1,400 students will live in campus residence halls.

The weekend’s events will also include family orientation on Sunday, Aug. 28. Student services offices will be open after Rev It Up from 3-5 p.m. Classes begin Thursday, Sept. 1.

CONTACT: Damien Snook, new student orientation coordinator, at 907-474-2760 or dtsnook@alaska.edu. Jamie Napolski, residential freshman coordinator, 907-474-1885 or jrabreu@alaska.edu.

ON THE WEB: http://www.uaf.edu/orientation/

MLG/8-26-11/046-12