Welcome Week
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 of 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 Programs at 920-748-8112.
OneCard Office & Mail Center open 10am-2pm on New Student Move-In Day, and 1pm-4pm on Returning Student Move-In Day.
Welcome Week 2024 Schedule of Events |
|
|---|---|
| Schedule of Events Notes |
|
Saturday, August 31 | New Student Move-In Day |
|
| 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. |
| 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. | College Apparel Store | Campus Apartments Special hours for new students and families to purchase Ripon College apparel. |
| 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. |
| 3 - 4 p.m. | Matriculation Convocation** | 1 Merriman Lane Matriculation Convocation is the institutional welcome for our newest students. Join President Folse, Dean Sisko, and the faculty at the President’s House for a ceremony to officially start your Ripon College experience. Parents and families are welcome to participate in this milestone moment. |
| 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 - 9:30 p.m. | S'mores and Campfire | Fire Pit, Upper Campus Join the Orientation Committee for treats and a cozy campfire! |
| 9:30 - 11:30 p.m. | Student Programming Council and SAO Present: Pitch Perfect | Harwood Memorial Union Lawn, Upper Campus Grab your blankets and hang with the Orientation Committee for an outdoor screening of the hit film, Pitch Perfect, Sponsored by Student Programming Council (SPC). |
Sunday, September 1 | Returning Student Move-In Day |
|
| 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. | Resource Tour with OC Small Groups** | Upper Campus Take a personalized tour of campus and learn the location of important campus services like the Registrar's Office, Health Services/Counseling, The Franzen Center and the Student Activities Office (SAO). Plus, receive your Class of 2028 welcome gift from the Alumni Association. |
| 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. | New Student How-To Guide** | Great Hall, Harwood Memorial Union The transition to college brings with it all sorts of new experiences and learning opportunities. 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: federally-mandated Title IX/sexual misconduct policy training is part of this program. |
| 12 - 1 p.m. | Lunch | Pickard Commons Remember to bring your OneCard! |
| 1:30 - 3 p.m. | Trip to Green Lake Dodge Memorial County Park | Meet at Memorial Lawn, Upper Campus Check out Ripon's neighboring city, Green Lake! Check out the beach, play volleyball, or enjoy a walk on the lakeside. |
| 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. |
Monday, September 2 | First Day of Classes |
|
| 7:30 - 10 a.m. | First Day of School Photos! | Outside of 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! |
| 3:30 - 6:30 p.m. | DIY Tote Bags | Office of Student Activities & Orientation Express your unique style and decorate a tote bag with iron on patches and paint! |
Tuesday, September 3 |
|
| 11:15 a.m. - 1 p.m. | Student Activities Fair | Memorial Lawn, Upper Campus Ripon’s community is made more vibrant through the work of its student organizations. Stop by tables to learn more about involvement opportunities, meet student leaders and sign up for your next adventures! |
| 4:30 - 5:30 p.m. | Service Project: Highway Clean Up | Commons Circle, Pickard Commons Join SAO as we complete our first clean up of our Adopt a Highway segment! Gloves, high visibility vests, and all equipment provided but please wear closed toe shoes and pants. Meet outside Starbucks and we'll drive over together. |
| 8 - 10 p.m. | The Orientation Committee Presents: Trivia | The Spot Celebrate Welcome Week by testing your trivia skills at the Spot! Gift cards will be awarded to the top teams. |
Wednesday, September 4 |
|
| 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. | Back to School Raffle | Student Activities Office Stop by the Student Activities Office between 9:00am and 3:00pm to enter to win our Back to School Raffle Basket filled with everything you need to start the new year right! Winner will be announced via email. |
| 5:45 - 6:30 p.m. | Zumba | Willmore, Studio 214 Dance your way into the semester with a Latin-inspired aerobic workout. |
Thursday, September 5 |
|
| 6:30 - 8 p.m. | Grocery Bingo | Harwood Memorial Lawn, Upper Campus Join the office of Residence Life for Grocery Bingo! Bring a blanket and your friend and compete for the best of college student cooking supplies, snacks, and treats! Rain Site: Great Hall |
| 8 - 10 p.m. | Karaoke in The Spot | The Spot Bring your best singing voice or enjoy listening to your friends. |
Friday, September 6 |
|
| 3:30 - 5:30 p.m. | Meet the Greeks | Memorial Lawn near The Spot Meet current members of Ripon’s sororities and fraternities to learn more about Greek life at Ripon! Being part of Greek Life is about more than just making friends – it’s about developing leadership skills, gaining valuable life experience, and making a difference in the community. Our Greek groups are dedicated to promoting academic excellence, personal growth, and civic engagement. Play games and enjoy an ice cream sundae! |
| 8:30 - 10:30 p.m. | Ripon Concert Series: The Jimmy's | Village Green, Downtown Ripon Head downtown for live music from blues band The Jimmy's! Meet at the tables on the patio outside the Spot. Opening act plays 7 - 8:30. Refreshments available for purchase. |
Saturday, September 7 |
|
| 8 - 10 p.m. | Casino Night | Great Hall Play games to win a variety of prizes sponsored by Student Programming Council (SPC) and enjoy snacks and casino-theme mocktails! Prizes include "Cozy Night In" Basket, Game Night Basket, "Influencer" Basket, Back to School Basket, Sport Basket, Dorm Room Essentials Basket, Giant Bean Bag Chair, and Air Fryer! |
Sunday, September 8 |
|
| Bus leaves at 12:45 1:30 - 4 p.m. | Badger Sports Park with Campus Rec | Outside Willmore Center Bus leaves at 12:45 SAO and Campus Rec are teaming up for a trip to Badger Sports Park! We'll spend the afternoon in Appleton at the go-kart track, batting cages, mini golf, laser tag, free pizza, and more! Bus leaves at 12:45pm, meet at Willmore Center. Some activities are outside so dress for the weather! |
| 4 - 5 p.m. | Yoga with Emily | Outside Willmore Center Set your intention for the week ahead and enjoy a gentle Vinyasa flow practice. Yoga mats available. Beginners welcome. |
Tuesday, September 10 |
|
| 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 local sponsors for hosting this event, a campus favorite! Thank you to our sponsors; J's BBQ, Webster's Marketplace, RC Nutrition, Sweet and Saulty Ice Cream Parlor, and Dominos! |
| 4. - 6 p.m. | CDI 9th Birthday | Memorial Lawn Happy Birthday to the Center for Diversity and Inclusion! Everyone is welcome! |
Save these dates
- Wednesday, September 11th- Meet the Sororities Mocktail event
- September 13th – Escape rooms with SPC
- September 15th – Sorority Recruitment Orientation (Round 0)
- September 17th – Mid Autumn Lantern Making
- September 18th – Sorority Recruitment Night
- September 19th – Sorority Recruitment Night 2, Career Center Headshots 11-2
- September 20th – Sorority Recruitment invitational event
- September 21th- Sorority Bid Day
- September 28th – Super 6: Couch Potato (res life)
- September 30th – Apple Day (Fall Fest Begins)
- October 1st – Pumpkin Patch
- October 2nd – Rec and Roll
- October 3rd – TT with Live Music
- October 4th – Ice Cream Truck
- October 5th – Petals and Plows
- October 10-12 Homecoming and Family Weekend
- October 11th –
- Morning – cookies on upper campus
- Evening – Lip Sync, Rally Band, Tshirt giveaway
- October 12th
- Game with Tailgate