Welcome Week and Orientation

Welcome Week 2026: Thursday, August 27 – Sunday, August 30

Welcome Week is for all new students at ��ɬֱ��. We kick it all off with Move-in Day! Then you will connect in a small group throughout the weekend for:

Evening outings
Meals
StreetFest: service-learning in the city
Fall Orientation
And so much more!

You'll meet fellow students, discover ways to find and build community, and learn how to thrive as you begin your Calvin journey.

International students and some fall athletes have earlier move-in dates and special programming. Find information below, and we'll share details with you via email and your .

Welcome Week Schedule

Here's a schedule overview (subject to change). Some sessions and activities are required, while others are optional. We'll share the specifics as we get closer to Welcome Week.

Time	Event	Location	Description
8:30 - 11:30 a.m.	Move-in	Residence halls
11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.	Lunch	Commons dining hall
11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.	Impact Welcome lunch	Chapel undercroft
12:00 Noon - 2:50 p.m.	Campus expo (optional as needed)	Spoelhof University Center Atrium (level 1) and hallway (level 2)	Walk around and see all of the resources Calvin has to offer! Join us in Spoelhof University Center after lunch.
1:00 - 1:50 p.m.	Opening worship service	Covenant Fine Arts Center Auditorium
2:00 - 2:30 p.m.	First-Gen college student meet-up	Covenant Fine Arts Center east lobby
3:00 - 3:45 p.m.	Family root beer float reception	Spoelhof Fieldhouse lobby
3:00 - 3:45 p.m.	First meet up (students)	Commons lawn	Meet up with your orientation group on commons lawn! See your Door Dec for more information about your group number and location.
4:00 - 5:00 p.m.	Convocation	Van Noord Arena
5:00 - 6:30 p.m.	Family cookout	Commons lawn (rain location: Commons dining hall)
6:30 - 6:45 p.m.	Goodbyes to families	Campus
6:45 - 7:30 p.m.	Homeroom chats	Homerooms	The first meeting with your orientation group in your assigned homeroom (see your Doordeck).
7:45 - 8:45 p.m.	Opening session	Covenant Fine Arts Center Auditorium	Meet your Orientation Board and hear more about what orientation will look like. Taking place in the CFAC Auditorium with your orientation group.
9:00 - 10:30 p.m.	Residence Life programming	Residence halls

General schedule - all groups

Time	Event	Location	Description
7:45 - 9 a.m.	Breakfast	Commons dining hall
9-9:30 a.m.	StreetFest kickoff	Covenant Fine Arts Center Auditorium	Streetfest kickoff is an opportunity to highlight the values of Streetfest; to explain how much serving is necessary, and to learn how to put other people's needs in front of our own.
9:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.	See below for schedule breakdown based on group number.
5 - 6:30 p.m.	Floor dinners	Commons dining hall
8 - 11 p.m.	"Create Your Own Adventure"	Off-Campus	Create Your Own Adventure is an event where the Orientation Leaders organize a fun night for their students.

Groups 1-23 schedule breakdown

Time	Event	Location	Description
9:45 - 10 a.m.	Core overview	Covenant Fine Arts Center Auditorium
10 - 11:15 a.m.	Connect! Meet Your Major!	Across campus - click to view specific locations	Connect! Meet Your Major! is an event in which the incoming students have a chance to talk to their advisors and the department heads about their particular major and about their academic plan.
11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.	Group lunch	Commons dining hall
1-4 p.m.	StreetFest	Community locations	StreetFest introduces students to the city of Grand Rapids and the concept of service-learning. It ignites passion for service and justice in the community throughout their time at Calvin and beyond!

Groups 24-40 schedule breakdown

Time	Event	Location	Description
9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.	StreetFest	Community locations	StreetFest introduces students to the city of Grand Rapids and the concept of service-learning. It ignites passion for service and justice in the community throughout their time at Calvin and beyond!
12:30-1:30 p.m.	Group lunch	Commons dining hall
2-2:15 p.m.	Core overview	Covenant Fine Arts Center Auditorium
2:15-3:30 p.m.	Connect! Meet Your Major!	Across campus - click to view specific locations	Connect! Meet Your Major! is an event in which the incoming students have a chance to talk to their advisors and the department heads about their particular major and about their academic plan.

Time	Event	Location	Description
7:00 - 9:00 a.m.	Breakfast	Commons dining hall
9:00 - 10:00 a.m.	Transfer Panel	Meeter Center lecture hall
10:00 - 11:00 a.m.	Tech and tools	Homerooms	Tech and Tools is an event in which the Orientation Leaders go over the technical sides of college life. For example explaining Workday, Moddle and such.
11:15 a.m. - 12 p.m.	Group Lunch	Commons dining hall
12:30 - 1:00 p.m.	Love your Neighbor Kickoff	Covenant Fine Arts Center Auditorium	The Love Your Neighbor Kickoff invites students into the biblical call to loving your neighbor right here on Calvin's campus.
1:15 - 2:00 p.m.	Rotation one	Breakout Rooms
2:15 - 3:00 p.m.	Rotation two	Breakout Rooms
3:15 - 4:15 p.m.	Debrief	Homerooms	Students will debrief the breakout sessions they attended in their OL groups. And learn next steps on how to better love their neighbors as themselves.
4:30 - 4:45 p.m.	Closing	Covenant Fine Arts Center Auditorium
5:00 - 6:00 p.m.	Residence hall dinner	Commons dining hall
8:30 - 11:00 p.m.	Knights Night Out	Johnny's (patio, cave, commuter space) (rain location: Commons Annex)	Knights Nite Out is a fun night where students will get to dance, play games, make art, hang out, and experience joyful community. Also, the attire is Neon Out! See you there!

Time	Event	Location	Description
9:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.	Brunch	Commons dining hall	Brunch in commons dining hall!
3:45 - 4:45 p.m.	Faith Dialogues	Homerooms	Discussion with your orientation leader and group about what faith looks like on campus
5:00 - 6:00 p.m.	Group dinner	Commons dining hall	Dinner with your orientation group!
6:15 - 7:00 p.m.	Worship	Chapel	Reflect on welcome week and worship
7:15 - 8:15 p.m.	Sem Pond Reflections	Seminary Pond	Reflect on your goals for the next four years with your group and pray together