IUP to Begin New Academic Year with One Stop Move In, Welcome Week Events Beginning Aug. 18

Indiana University of Pennsylvania welcomes students for the 2024-25 academic year with a number of events in August, including an Early Immersion Experience for students in the Crimson Scholars Circle August 10 through August 16; on-campus "move-in" for new students on August 17 and 18; and Welcome Week events for new students August 18 to 23.

The first day of classes for the fall 2024 semester is August 26.

The Crimson Scholars Circle program, now in its fourth year, is designed to influence retention and persistence of Black and Brown IUP students. During the Early Immersion Week Experience, 70 students in the program will become familiar with the IUP campus and staff, including the IUP students who are their peer mentors, and will attend workshops and programs focused on leadership development and building academic skills and strategies for success. Programming, including alumni networking, speakers, and mentorship opportunities with IUP's Black Experience Alumni Committee, will continue throughout the academic year.

Approximately 900 new students are expected to move in to housing on the Indiana campus on August 17, and 600 more new students are expected on August 18. More than 2,800 new and continuing students will be living in residence halls on the Indiana campus, with an additional 76 students living in the Punxsutawney campus's Living-Learning Center.

Continuing students are scheduled to move into IUP residence halls on August 24 and 25.

For the third year, move-in for new students includes a one-stop check-in process. This program invites all new students-those who will be in campus housing and those who are commuter students-to start the move-in process at the Kovalchick Convention and Athletic Complex at individually scheduled times between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. on August 17 and between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. on August 18.

This check-in event provides in-person resources for students and families in one location, making it easier for students to complete any administrative needs before physically moving into their rooms. Navigators also will be on-site during check-in to greet students.

"We continue to have an outstanding response from families and students to our one-stop check-in," Associate Vice President for Student Life Valerie Baroni said. "Students and families told us that they really appreciated the opportunity to be in contact with the offices they needed to help them right from the start. Having the Navigators-who have already been in contact with students during the summer months-on site and serving as part of the cadre of volunteers for the event was a great way to help families feel more at ease during the process," she said.

The one-stop check-in provides students with an individualized itinerary at the welcome table, listing any offices the student needs to stop at before checking in to housing. Staff members from all of those offices will be present at the event. If students have completed all of the new-student steps before move-in, they can check in to their housing or stop by tables for additional information.

"In addition to streamlining the process by having offices in person to help new students, it provides an opportunity for students and families to ask questions and meet members of campus offices," Baroni said.

Members of IUP's ROTC group and other members of the community are the initial greeters for the check-in. Additional offices and staff represented at the KCAC include Orientation, Housing, Dining, Health Service, Student Billing, Military and Veterans Resource Center, and Financial Aid.

Additional informational tables at the event include representatives from STATIC, the student activity and programming group; IUP Alumni and Constituent Engagement; the IUP Information Technology (IT) Helpdesk; Parking Services; the I-Card Office; Indiana County Tourist Bureau; and the Community Guidance Center. Students are welcome to stop back at the Kovalchick Complex throughout the weekend during check-in hours for any assistance they may need from the offices represented there.

New student Welcome Week, August 18 to 25, offers events that are a mixture of academic meetings, informational programming, and opportunities for students to become acquainted with one another and with the campus and community, including a University Welcome event for students on August 19 at 3:30 p.m. at the Kovalchick Complex, followed by a community dinner in the Oak Grove from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. (in the case of inclement weather, the dinner will be held in the KCAC).

On August 22, students are invited to take part in the Talon Walk from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. in downtown Indiana's IRMC Park at the intersection of Seventh and Philadelphia streets. New IUP students will be invited to walk to IRMC Park and explore the businesses downtown, especially the businesses that are members of the Talon Ticket, the student-led student discount program, and interact with community leaders and members. It also offers an opportunity for business owners and community members to meet IUP's new students.

Formerly the Meet the Hawks event, the Talon Walk is spearheaded by a collaboration between the IUP Division of Student Affairs, the Indiana County Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Indiana Inc., the Indiana County Tourist Bureau, the University College, and the IUP Office of Strategic Partnerships. Downtown Indiana will provide music since it is an already scheduled "Third Thursday " Downtown Indiana community event.

Welcome Week events conclude August 24 with the Crimson Carnival Block Party at the Kovalchick Complex from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. and the Folger Late Night event from 9:00 p.m. to midnight at the Folger Student Center.

IUP's traditional Opening of the Academic Year program is August 23 at 9:00 a.m. in the IUP Performing Arts Center's Fisher Auditorium.

It will feature remarks by IUP President Michael Driscoll; Association of Pennsylvania State Colleges and University Faculty (APSCUF) IUP Chapter President Dennis Frketich, assistant professor in the Department of Hospitality and Employment Relations; State College and Universities Professional Association IUP Chapter President Erin Fritz Woods; Kaylee-Becker George, president of IUP's Student Government Association; IUP Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Lara Luetkehans; and Brian Seal, president of the IUP University Senate and associate professor in the IUP Department of Safety Sciences and Environmental Engineering.

The program will be live-streamed on the IUP YouTube channel.

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