Welcome to Nazareth College! We are excited for your arrival and have a 4-day fun-filled, information-packed orientation program awaiting you. Orientation will help you meet new people and build connections, begin to explore the campus environment and resources, and learn about amazing opportunities that can become part of your Nazareth experience.
Nazareth College strives to be equitable and accessible in its programming. If accommodations are needed to participate in orientation please fill out this form.
Today you will take your first steps into the next phase of your academic and life journeys. You will:
Welcome to Nazareth College! Please enter at the Arts Center parking lot. Find your assigned move-in time in your housing portal.
After checking in with Residential Life staff and moving your belongings into your room, make your way to Orientation check-In. Bring a screenshot, pdf, or printed version of your certificate of completion of pre-orientation online modules.
Have tapestries, curtains, or any other fabric items you want to hang in your room? Make sure to get them approved and fireproofed beforehand.
The President, Dr. Beth Paul, invites you to celebrate this important day with a welcome picnic. Enjoy one of our indoor locations or one of the beautiful outdoor areas on campus.
Enter on North Campus drive and make your way to Q Lot (near Golisano Academic Center). Follow signs to Orientation check-in to receive your materials, pick up your Naz swag, and connect with Nazareth offices and services. Don’t forget to make time to attend the President’s Picnic!
Stop by the GTC indoor turf to pick up brochures for more detailed information about the resources referred to in the upcoming sessions. Faculty and staff will be available to answer your questions.
President Paul, on behalf of the College, enthusiastically welcomes you to the Golden Flyer family.
Staff from Health and Counseling, Residential Life, Title IX, and Campus Safety will address community standards, staying safe, and being a part of the community here at Naz.
Staff from the Academic Resource Center will share resources and tips to help new students get off to a strong start academically.
Sponsored by Alumni Engagement and Campus Operations, create your first memento from your college experience.
This concludes programming for our families & supporters. We look forward to seeing you again at Naz Weekend, October 21–23!
Connect with your Orientation Leaders (OLs) and meet your Orientation group for the weekend over dinner.
Join faculty and staff for this traditional event that celebrates the start of another academic year at Nazareth.
This tradition marks your first night as a Golden Flyer. This ceremony is a time to reflect on your role in living out the legacy of Nazareth’s founders on our campus and throughout our world.
Join Residential Life and Student Engagement for the first ever Flyer Fest, a carnival-style event to jump start your Orientation experience and a great opportunity to get to know your peers, faculty, and staff.
Today you will have multiple opportunities to interact with peers, faculty, staff, administration, and the larger Rochester area. By engaging in these communities, you will:
Enjoy breakfast and prepare for the day’s activities with your orientation group.
Before heading to your advisor meetings, learn more about the Core Curriculum and the importance of connecting and communicating with your advisor(s) regularly. They are here to guide and support you through your academic experience.
All new international students must attend this Orientation session with the Center for International Education staff.
All new first-year and transfer students will meet with their major advisor.
Students majoring in Inclusive Early Childhood/Childhood Education and students pursuing Inclusive Adolescence Education are required to meet with their education advisors. Art Education and Music Education students do not need to attend.
Students pursuing these minors are required to meet to discuss programs and requirements.
Get to know some instructors from across the college as they share advice and tips for academic success and candidly answer your burning questions about classroom culture and expectations at college. [Note: All education majors must attend the SOE advisor meeting at this time; all premed/vet/dental minors must attend the interest meeting at this time.]
Enjoy lunch on your own, with your roommate or new friends at the dining hall.
Self-serve; grab materials related to all things dining on Nazareth's campus. Need more in depth help? Look for a manager in the Cabaret or the Dining Commons during a meal.
Non-music majors who are looking to continue their interest in music through participation in ensembles such as Wind Symphony, Symphonic Band, Night Flyers Band, Symphony Orchestra, Treble Choir, Chamber Singers, Pep Band, Jazz Ensemble, and Jazz Combo should attend this meeting.
All new Naz students will participate in a community engagement project with their Orientation Group at a local organization in the Rochester area. Learn from community partners about issues and solutions in the areas of environment, food access, public health, education and much more. Experience your new community of changemakers and be a part of the action!
Enjoy dinner with the members of your Orientation group at the dining hall and debrief the days’ activities.
Join Dr. Wayne Hilson, Vice President for Culture, Community, and Belonging and several Naz student leaders for a conversation around what belonging means at Nazareth and how we each have a role and responsibility in creating an equity minded campus community.
Resident students will meet with their Resident Assistant (RA) on their floor to learn the “ins and outs” of living on campus.
Commuter students will meet with their Commuter Assistant to learn more about valuable resources.
Be on the lookout for faculty and staff as they serve as dealers. You'll have the opportunity to win college essentials and other fun prizes!
Today you will learn about Nazareth’s expectations of students including policies, procedures, and programs that will allow you to make well-reasoned and well-informed academic and healthy social choices. You will:
Grab a light breakfast before heading to your ACS 101 class.
ACS 101 is all about helping you maximize your college experience. Discover the value in community involvement and diverse global perspectives. Develop your capacity for growth. Acquire skills to successfully navigate this important transition time. Note: Transfer students take Academic and College Success for Transfer Students - ACS 090 (0 credits) in the first semester to help with their transition to Nazareth and will not meet at this time.
Have you ever been concerned about a situation and didn’t know how to intervene? You are not alone! Students will learn tips and tricks to navigate any situation by using bystander intervention techniques.
Enjoy lunch on your own, with your roommate, or new friends at the dining hall.
Join Cathy Leverone to chat about differences between high school and college classes. It will be a comfortable space to ask questions and learn tips about how to be successful in the classroom. Students will grab their lunch from the Dining Commons before joining the group in the Medaille Formal Lounge.
Join us for an olympic-esque campus event hosted by Grit & Wit. Work with your teammates to tackle obstacles across campus that require both grit and wit.
Relax and get to know folks while enjoying some low-key activities such as face painting, lawn games, and ridiculously fun icebreakers.
After tackling the Olympic obstacle course, relax, grab a snack, and say hi to the College’s President and senior administration team.
Enjoy dinner with the members of your Orientation group at the dining hall.
Through comedy, multimedia, and practical advice, students learn to make values-based choices about alcohol. Students will leave this session equipped with safe practices to make healthier choices and reduce high-risk drinking.
Participate in a facilitated discussion using "The Circle Way" with your Orientation Group. Discuss the experiences you've had in your new communities so far — your Nazareth community and the greater Rochester community. Share with others how you hope to be a part of a community that is welcoming and inclusive for all.
Today you will engage in activities that foster mindfulness and growth. You will:
Morning mindfulness is a great way to start your day with other members of the College community. Each station will restart every 30 minutes. Choose 2 or more or repeat some.
Enjoy brunch on your own, with your roommate or new friends at the dining hall.
Hosted by the Student Occupational Therapy Association (SOTA), this special session is for all fully accepted first-year occupational therapy majors to connect with faculty and others in the program before the first day of classes. Students should get their meal in the Dining Commons and then join the group in the Medaille Formal Lounge.
Nazareth Christian Fellowship is hosting a welcome breakfast in GAC 151. Come and learn about the various activities and offerings sponsored throughout the year, including Bible studies, worship nights, and a weekly fellowship group. For more information, please contact Kiley Cook, kcook24@mail.naz.edu.
Work with your orientation group to climb the leaderboard in this digitally enhanced scavenger hunt that combines trivia, GPS check-ins, photo & video challenges, and QR codes to orient you to Nazareth campus locations and resources.
Meet some current students in interesting positions and hear how to apply for any campus job. Connect with your career coach and get the details on the SPARK grant ($1500!), using Handshake, and helpful tips for making the most of your first year at Naz.
There are tons of opportunities to gain experience on campus, make connections, build skills, and get paid (and many jobs are only a few hours a week, so they won't interfere with the rest of your life)! Featuring both on and off-campus employers seeking to hire our students, this job fair offers students an opportunity to meet several potential employers at one place and time.
All new incoming spring student-athletes are required to attend this session where Athletics staff will talk about what it is like to be an athlete at Naz.
Enjoy dinner with the members of your orientation group at the dining hall.
Nazareth College was founded on the principles of “quartering the city,” finding the needs of each community and then working with community members to pursue social and economic justice. This talk provides insights into that pursuit and calls on the class of 2026 to participate in this struggle.
Join us for the first Catholic Mass of the semester followed by coffee and cupcakes. Learn about the various activities and offerings of the Nazareth College Catholic Community. Choir rehearses at 6 p.m., new members welcome.
Sponsored by the Campus Activities Board (CAB) and the Undergraduate Association (UA), take part in one of Nazareth’s favorite activities and have the chance to win some cool cash.
Throughout orientation, look for Orion and Rosie, two registered therapy dogs who are devoted members of the Golden Flyer family. They come to campus daily to interact with the students and love getting attention, so please come say hello when you see them during orientation. Continue to visit them at their faculty members' offices in the YWRI or at IPAW Collaborative and Club events all year long!
Contact us at nazengage@naz.edu or 585-389-2320.