August 2023
Greeings from Wesleyan!
The Orientation Team and the staff from the Office of Alumni & Parent Relations are excited to welcome you and your student to campus very soon! As we approach New Student Arrival Day on August 30, we want to share a few reminders and things to consider as you are preparing for your student’s next adventure. We look forward to meeting you on August 30, and hope to facilitate a smooth arrival to Wesleyan!
International students, First Things First participants and fall athletes should follow specific instructions from their program or coach and can disregard the following information regarding the August 30 move-in process. Please read the last section regarding the orientation program.
- Arriving to Campus
- Move-In Appointments: By August 7, all new students will be able to view their room assignment in their WesPortal. In their WesPortal, students will be able to select a move-in timeslot for Wednesday, August 30 between 9 a.m.–1 p.m. All move-ins are by appointment, specific to your student’s assigned residence hall.
- Directions: Please use the following address in GPS to get to campus: 303 High Street, Middletown, CT. Once you turn on to High Street, please turn off GPS and follow the signs to your specific residence hall, GPS will no longer be reliable.
- Parking: To minimize traffic congestion, and to ensure we have adequate support to help you unload your vehicle, we are asking all new students and families to adhere to their designated move-in appointment. Once your vehicle is unloaded, all cars must move to a parking lot for the remainder of the day. You will be given instructions/directions to the closest lot. There will not be any on-street parking available. Please do not leave your vehicles unattended while unloading.
- Check-In Process: Once you arrive at your designated unloading site, your student will be directed to check-in where they will need a picture ID. There will be signage to help guide you and plenty of staff on hand to answer any questions!
- Move-In Tips and Information
- There will be limited carts and moving bins available during move-in and you are encouraged to bring your own if possible.
- Check the weather! You never know when you need an umbrella. Be sure to bring your personal water bottles as it is usually very hot and bottled water is not available for purchase on campus.
- Most of our first-year residences do not have elevators. Please plan accordingly.
- Parent/Family Orientation Program
- Get ready for Wes and join us for our Parents & Families Pre-Arrival Virtual Orientation programs! These virtual events will be held on Zoom and include two workshops (Student Transition to Wes and Academic Life at Wes) and a virtual parent gathering . If you have any questions, you can reach us at parents@wesleyan.edu.
- Students will have a separate virtual Pre-Arrival Orientation program with various events from Monday, August 14 to Saturday, August 26. Students can learn more information and register for these events by visting WesNest, Wesleyan’s student engagement website.
- Please ensure your student has completed all the required items in their New Student Checklist, found in their WesPortal, especially the submission of all health forms. Students will not be allowed to move in until this has been completed.
- On Arrival Day, please visit us at the Parents & Families Welcome Table on the first floor of Usdan University Center and join us after lunch for various parent and family programs. If you are unable to join us on Arrival Day, the President’s remarks to families will be webcast and recorded, with a link provided for later viewing.
- As part of our ongoing effort to be green, please note we will not be printing any copies of the Orientation schedule. You may view the parents/families schedule on the Wesleyan Parents & Families webpage and the student orientation schedule on WesNest.
- Additional tips, including information on renter's insurance, may be found on the Get Ready for Wes website
If you have any questions regarding Arrival Day, please feel free to email the Orientation office. The Orientation Office will be open from 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Monday through Friday and throughout Orientation. More information is also posted on the Get Ready for Wes website.
We hope you are having an amazing summer, and we look forward to welcoming you later this month!
Best,
Joanne Rafferty
Director, Student Involvement
Cecilia P. McCall '91, P'24
Director, Alumni & Parent Engagement