WYOMISSING, Pa. — Penn State Berks will welcome first-year students to its residential community as part of the campus' annual orientation program beginning on Friday, Aug. 20. Incoming students will move into the residence halls from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Students should consult the University’s details for required student on-arrival COVID-19 testing.
After moving in, students will attend a Residential Student Orientation from 6–9 p.m. This program is geared toward developing connections between new students and their neighbors in their communities, understanding policies, and providing keys to successful residence hall living. The evening’s events for all first-year, residential and commuter students include a residence hall rally, late-night basketball and sand volleyball, and karaoke.
In an effort to establish connections with parents and families, the college will present a virtual Parent and Family Orientation beginning at 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 21. The program will address how families can support their student, both in and out of the classroom. Parents and families must register in advance and then they will receive a zoom link for the program.
The college will hold its Welcome Weekend program for its incoming first-year and transfer students on Saturday, Aug. 21, and Sunday, Aug. 22. The two-day program will include speakers, breakout sessions, and activities to help ease the transition to college, including an extensive icebreaker facilitated by a team of alumni orientation leaders. Later that evening, members of the Penn State Berks Alumni Society will serve Penn State Berkey Creamery ice cream to the students.
On Saturday, Aug. 21, there will be a special end-of-day program for commuting students focused specifically on their needs and resources available at the college. On Sunday, Aug. 22, unique breakout sessions will be offered for students changing campuses within the Penn State systems, transfer students, adult students, and veteran students to talk through their unique transition to campus.
In addition, there will be a special orientation for the college’s 35 incoming international students the week of Aug. 16.
The Penn State Berks Welcome Weekend Program is staffed by more than 100 student orientation leaders, 20 resident assistants, and other members of the college community.
For more information, visit arrival.psu.edu/fall/berks or berks.psu.edu/welcome-weekend-overview, or contact Autumn Fritz, assistant director of community development, at 610-396-6098 or amr40@psu.edu.