Get ready to soar
Welcome Week is comprised of several days of activities designed to introduce new students to each other, the campus and academic life at Ripon. Welcome Week kicks off on New Student Move-In Day and goes through the first week of being on campus.
For more information on our programs, please contact our Office of Student Activities & Orientation at 920-748-8112.
Get Your OneCard
The OneCard Office and Mail Center are open from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. on New Student Move-In Day, and 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. on Returning Student Move-In Day.
Your OneCard is used throughout campus and is a vital part of your Ripon Experience. Check into Willmore Center to lift some weights, get a good meal at The Commons and more.
The Mail Center is located in the lower level of Harwood Memorial Union near The Spot.
Contact Us
For more information on our programs, please contact our Office of Student Activities & Orientation at 920-748-8112.
2026 Welcome Week
First Year Move In for non-fall athlete students will begin August 28th
Welcome Week 2026 Schedule of Events |
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| Schedule of Events Notes |
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FRIDAY, AUGUST 28 | New Student Move-In Day |
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| 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. | Move-In Period | Residence Halls Follow instructions received from Residence Life to correctly receive clearance to check into your residence hall. Family Welcome Receptions will be hosted in Johnson and Scott Halls by members of the Ripon Parents Network and Office of Annual Giving and Engagement. |
| 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. | Complimentary Lunch | Main Dining Room, Pickard Commons All new students, along with their families and guests are welcome to a complimentary lunch provided by SAGE Dining Services. |
| 12:00 pm | Transfer Lunch with OCs | Main Dining Room, S.N. Pickard Commons All transfer students will begin orientation with complimentary lunch with their Orientation Committee leader. |
| 1 - 2:30 pm | Transfer Orientation | MLK Transfer students will hear from campus departments about resources, important deadlines, and prepare for their first semester. |
| 3 - 4 p.m. | Matriculation Convocation** | 1 Merriman Lane Matriculation Convocation is the institutional welcome for our newest students. Join President Folse, Dean Matzke, and the faculty at the President’s House for a ceremony to officially start your Ripon College experience. |
| 4 - 4:45 p.m. | Reception and Family Send-Off | 1 Merriman Lane Say goodbye to your supporters while enjoying ice cream from SAGE Dining! |
| 4:45 - 5:30 p.m. | Orientation Committee (OC) Small Group Meetings** | Various locations on campus New students will connect with their assigned Orientation Committee member (OC) to talk through the schedule for the weekend and get to know other new students from across campus. |
| 5:30 - 7 p.m. | Dinner | Pickard Commons This is the first meal which will be billed to students’ meal plans, so don’t forget to bring your OneCard with you to eat! |
| 7 - 7:45 p.m. | First-Year Floor Meetings** | Residence Halls New students will meet their Resident Assistants (RAs) and learn about expectations of living in our residential communities. |
| 8 - 9 p.m. | COMEDYSPORTZ** | Great Hall Head to Great Hall for a live improv show played in sports style! |
SATURDAY, AUGUST 29 | CLASS OF 2030 COHESION |
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| 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. | Brunch | Pickard Commons Fuel up for a big day ahead! |
| 9 - 12 p.m. | Choose Your Own Adventure | Upper Campus 9 am Yoga on the Lawn (Memorial Lawn) 9 am Iced Coffee Bar (SAO) 10 am Campus Walkthrough (Meet in SAO) 10 am Tshirt Tye Dye (Fire Pit) 11 am Downtown Tour with OCs (Meet in SAO) |
| 12 - 1 p.m. | Lunch | Pickard Commons Remember to bring your OneCard! |
| 1 - 4 p.m. | Trip to Dodge Memorial County Park | Meet at Memorial Lawn, Upper Campus Check out Ripon’s neighboring city, Green Lake! Relax on the beach, play volleyball, or enjoy a walk on the lakeside. Bus departs at 1:00pm. Please meet outstide Starbucks. Dress for the weather! |
| 5 p.m. | Dinner | Pickard Commons Remember to bring your OneCard! |
| 7 p.m. | OC Take Over** | Memorial Lawn OCs take over campus!! Enjoy a night of festivities entirely planned by the Orientation Committee! Compete at 9 Square Volleyball, dominate Laser Tag in Lane Library, craft a painted picture frame or record in the Spot and enjoy a campfire with s’mores, pizza, and an ice cream sundae bar! |
SUNDAY, AUGUST 30 | NEW STUDENT ORIENTATION |
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| 8 - 9 a.m. | Breakfast** | Pickard Commons New students will converse about the transition to college with their assigned Orientation Committee member. |
| 9 - 10 a.m. | Wanna Make Out? A Conversation About Consent** | Great Hall, Harwood Memorial Union Content warning: federally-mandated Title IX/ sexual misconduct policy training is part of this program. |
| 10 - 11 a.m. | Resource Tour with OC Small Groups** | Upper Campus Take a personalized tour of campus and learn the location of important campus services. Please bring your OneCard. |
| 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. | New Student How-To Guide** | Great Hall, Harwood Memorial Union New students will spend time with professionals from around campus learning about the resources available to ensure a safe and healthy start to their Ripon experience. Content Warning: This presentation includes discussion of active shooter incidents and related safety information |
| 2 - 4 p.m. | Students vs Faculty and Staff Kickball Game | Tracy Field Whether you’re a seasoned player or just in it for the laughs, all skill levels are welcome to play! Not into kicking? No problem - come cheer on your friends and colleagues from the sidelines! Meet in front of Johnson and we’ll all walk over together at 1:45pm. |
| 4 p.m. | Student Support Services Picnic | Great Hall, Harwood Memorial Union All qualifying first-year Student Support Services students are invited to this special opportunity for dinner and to meet with their peer contact and SSS staff. See your invite for details. |
| 7 p.m. | All Athlete Meeting | Wieske Gym Mandatory for all athletes. |
MONDAY, AUGUST 31 | FIRST DAY OF CLASSES |
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| 7:30- 10 a.m. | First-Day-of-School Photos! | Outside The Spot Happy 1st day of __th grade, Red Hawks! Take a cute photo to commemorate the start of the year and grab some free donut holes! |
| 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. | Taste of Ripon | Great Hall Come out to Great Hall to meet Ripon restaurants and businesses as they showcase their best culinary creations and services! You’ll get to sample a variety of delicious foods and beverages from different vendors and enjoy giveaways from area businesses. Thank you to our sponsors! |
| 3:30 - 5:30 p.m. | Dorm Room Decor Craft Night | Office of Student Activities & Orientation Craft cute dorm room decorations! Make a custom felt pennant or paint a canvas |
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1 |
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| 11:15 a.m. - 1 p.m. | Student Activities Fair | Memorial Lawn, Upper Campus Stop by tables to learn more about involvement opportunities, meet student leaders, and sign up for your next adventures! |
| 7 p.m. | Volleyball Vs St Norbert's College | Wieske Gym All students recive free entry to home competitions, just show your OneCard! |
| 8 - 9 p.m. | The Orientation Committee Presents: Trivia | The Spot Celebrate Welcome Week! Gift cards will be awarded to the top teams. |
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2 |
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| 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. | Dairy Barn Ice Cream Truck | Outside SAO Stop by and grab a free ice cream! |
| 5 - 6:30 p.m. | Color Conversations | | MLK Join the CDI and Center for Career and Professional Development for a leadership reflection workshop! |
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3 |
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| 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. | BSU Back to School BBQ | | Memorial Lawn Celebrate the start of school with BSU and treats from J’s BBQ! |
| 6:30 - 8 p.m. | Grocery Bingo with Residence Life | Harwood Memorial Union Lawn, Upper Campus Join the office of Residence Life for Grocery Bingo! Bring a blanket and your friends and compete for the best of student cooking supplies, treats, and snacks! Rain Site: Great Hall |
| 7:30 p.m. | Women's Soccer Vs Wisconsin Luthern College | Hopp Stadium |
| 8 - 9:30 p.m. | Karaoke in the Spot | The Spot, Harwood Memorial Union Kick off the start of our monthly Thursday night events with Karaoke in the Spot! |
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 4 |
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| 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. | Dirty Soda Bar | SAO Mix your own dirty soda for a sweet treat! |
| 7:30 p.m. | Men's Soccer Vs Marian University | Hopp Stadium |
| 8 - 10 p.m. | Casino Night | Great Hall Play games to win a variety of prizes enjoy snacks and casino-theme mocktails! Prizes graciously sponsored by Student Programming Council (SPC). |
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 5 |
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| 11 a.m. -1 p.m. | Fan Fest | The Terrace Support our RedHawks and stop by the Terrace for a free tailgate with lunch, temporary tattoos, sign making station, and more! |
| 1 p.m. | Football Vs Concordia | Hopp Stadium All students receive free entry to home competitions, just show your OneCard! |
| 6:30 - 8 p.m. | Meet The Greeks | Firepits Meet current members of Ripon’s sororities and fraternities to learn more about Greek life at Ripon! Play games and enjoy an ice cream sundae! |
| 8:30 - 10:30 p.m. | Glow in the Dark Sand Volleyball with Residence Life | The Quads Glowsticks, pizza, music, and volleyball! |
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6 |
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| 9 a.m. | Women's Tennis vs. Simpson College | |
| 4:30 -5 p.m. | Yoga with Emily | Willmore Center - Studio 214 Set your intention for the week ahead and enjoy a gentle Vinyasa flow practice. Yoga mats available. Beginners welcome! |
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8 |
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| 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. | Mocktails with Panhellenic | Johnson Main Lounge Meet representatives of each sorority and learn more about what Greek life is like at Ripon College! Enjoy a mocktail and ask questions about each group’s community service opportunities, the benefits of joining a sorority, and the process to join. |
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