New Student Orientation
New Student Orientation 2025
Macalester College looks forward to welcoming members of the class of 2029, transfer, and exchange students! All new students are expected to participate in Orientation from August 25-29, 2025.
To learn more about PO4IS, Macalester’s Pre-Orientation for International Students, please visit the International Student Programs website.
For those booking travel, here is some helpful information to inform your planning:
When Does Residence Hall Move-In Take Place?
Residence hall move-in will take place on August 25, 2025 from 8:00 AM-2:00 PM. More about the schedule of events will be shared over the summer, including detailed Move-In Day instructions. Please note, students approved to participate in certain pre-season activities such as PO4IS (Pre-Orientation for International Students), fall athletics, or select Community & Connection Cohort programs should connect with their campus contact for information on relevant pre-season move-in dates/details.
When Should Students and Parents/Families Arrive to St. Paul?
Some new students and families decide to arrive to St. Paul on move-in day and others may arrive early to explore the Twin Cities. Students who choose to arrive prior to move-in day must seek local accommodations. Details on local accommodations recommended by Orientation will be available on the Directions & Lodging page in late spring.
When Should Parents/Families Depart from St. Paul?
We invite parents/families who are able to come to campus to participate in optional programing during the beginning of orientation. More information will be shared as the schedule of events is finalized.
Key Components of Orientation
The Orientation program will acquaint students with the culture, services, and resources at Macalester as you transition into the campus community.
By the end of Orientation students will:
- Begin to establish a sense of belonging
- Familiarize yourself with campus
- Identify support resources
- Learn the core values of the Macalester community
- Understand academic expectations
Signature Elements of Orientation:
- Scottish House Meetings: New students are divided into orientation groups based on their First Year Courses (FYCs) called Scottish Houses. Each House is made up of 12-18 new students and is led by Orientation Leaders (OLs). Houses will meet over the course of Orientation, offering a variety of ways for you to engage with your peers and returning students. The Scottish House meetings will be interactive and engaging, allowing you to both learn about Macalester and our community, as well as provide an opportunity for you to get to know members of your class. Through guided conversations, facilitated activities, and group dialogue, new students will have a variety of ways to engage with one another.
- Orientation Leader 1-on-1 Meetings: Orientation Leaders (OLs) will offer 30 minute one-on-one meetings to help build relationships with new students and to make space for individualized questions and concerns to be addressed. These meetings will be established by each Scottish House during the first few days of Orientation.
- “This Matters at Mac” Series: This program series highlights the values and practices that are most important to our community. Students are required to participate in these sessions as a part of joining our campus community. These sessions are further discussed by OLs in the Scottish House meetings that take place throughout Orientation.
- Advising Appointments: New students will meet with their FYC professor for a one-on-one advising appointment during Orientation. This appointment will be scheduled during Orientation. Visit the Academic Programs & Advising webpage for more information on First-Year Registration.
Orientation is planned by the Center for Student Leadership and Engagement in consultation with the Orientation Planning Committee:
Laurie Adamson (Committee Chair) (Center for Student Leadership and Engagement), Abbey Kamin (Engagement), Dave Berglund (Business Services), Elyan Paz (Admissions), Emi Menk (Center for Student Leadership and Engagement), Fabiola Grubhofer (Information Technology Services), Jen Jacobsen (Hamre Center), John Mountain (Career Exploration), Kiernan Bartlett (Special Events), Laura Creech (Institutional Equity), Lloyd Lentz (Information Technology Services), Louisa Bradtmiller (Associate Dean of Advising), Luyen Phan (International Student Programs), Minerva Muñoz, (Institutional Equity), Priscilla Perez Umphress (Residential Life), Sedric McClure (Community Engagement Center), Shammah Bermudez (Center for Disability Resources), Steve Murray (Athletics), Thomas Halverson (Dean of Faculty), Wendy Weber (Political Science)