Orientation Schedule
View the Orientation and Welcome Week schedules below:
Spring Orientation: January 9, 2026
Friday, January 9th, 2026
- 8:00 – 9:30 am: Check-In (Hedrick Circle) and Breakfast (Leonard Lounge)
We will have coffee and a continental breakfast waiting for you! - 9:00 – 9:15 am: Welcome Message (Tom Smith Auditorium)
SGA Executive President Jadan Martin and Dean of Students Dr. Justin Tyler Owens will welcome the spring additions of the 174th entering class at Catawba College. - 9:15 – 10:00 am: Discovering Your Success at Catawba College (Tom Smith Auditorium)
Join Success Coaches Eric Kidd and Kira Harwood for an enlightening session designed to empower future students with essential skills and offer families invaluable insights to support their students’ success at Catawba College. Our Success Coaches understand that the student journey is filled with both excitement and challenges. That’s why we prioritize the crucial role of success coaches in unlocking your potential and helping you achieve your academic and personal goals. - 10:00-10:15 am: Break & Time to Move to Next Session
- 10:15-10:55 am: Guided for Greatness: Meet Your Success Coach
Join your assigned Student Success Coach for an interactive session designed to set you up for a successful first year! Learn about how your Success Coach provides personalized support, offers guidance on academic planning, time management, and connects you with campus resources. This session is also a great chance to meet fellow First-Year Seminar (FYS) classmates and start building connections that will enhance your college experience. - 11:00 – 11:30 am: Meet the Academic Deans (Ketner Atrium)
Join us for a unique opportunity to meet the academic deans of Catawba College. This session allows students, parents, and families to connect directly with academic leadership and learn more about each college and school’s vision, programs, and support systems. Gain insight into the academic experience your student will have throughout their time at Catawba. - 11:30 – 1:00 pm: Resource Fair and Lunch
Lunch (Cannon Dining Commons) & Resource Fair (Leonard Lounge)
Enjoy lunch in the dining hall, where a variety of delicious food options await you! While you're there, be sure to stop by the Resource Fair to connect with helpful campus departments and organizations. Passport to Prizes inside your folder, you’ll find a Resource Fair Passport, visit different tables, collect stamps and turn in your completed passport for a chance to win a $50 Campus Bookstore gift card! - 1:00 – 1:25 pm: Getting Connected to Campus (Tom Smith Auditorium)
Dive into campus life with the Office of Campus Life and explore exciting opportunities including our immersive student experience and esports initiatives, a wide array of campus programming and student activities to get involved, and comprehensive campus recreation and wellness resources to support your well-being; we'll also guide you through the platforms we use to keep you informed about events, highlight potential work-study positions within our office, and show you how to connect with us on social media to stay engaged with everything happening on campus. - 1:25- 1:45 pm: Serving the Salisbury Community (Tom Smith Auditorium)
Service is a core value at Catawba College. Join your fellow students in making a meaningful impact through a service project supporting local elementary, middle, and high school students in the Salisbury area. - 2:00 – 3:00 pm: First-Year Seminar (Hedrick 2414) and Transfer Toolkit (Ketner 2105)
Our students say that First Year Seminar (FYS) is the most important class that they take in their first year. Find out what happens in FYS, how FYS sections are alike and different, and learn how FYS will help you navigate a rigorous course schedule in a supportive environment. A veteran FYS instructor will lead you through what happens in FYS and its auxiliary components, such as the Common Summer Reading, scheduling, academic advising, and academic expectations in your courses. This is a good time to get your class-related questions answered! Transfer Students will break-out with academic advisors to assist with scheduling. - 3:00 – 5:00 pm: Residence Hall Move-in or Financial Aid Appointments
Students who are moving on campus will visit the Office of Residence Life to receive their Key for their room. The Student Affairs team can help answer any last-minute questions regarding the campus life experience! The Office of Residence Life is located within the Cannon Student Center. If parents or students are interested in scheduling time with the Financial Aid team, the staff will be available to help explore financial options.
Friday, January 9th, 2026
- 8:00 – 9:30 am: Check-In (Hedrick Circle) and Breakfast (Leonard Lounge)
We will have coffee and a continental breakfast waiting for you! - 9:00 – 9:15 am: Welcome Message (Tom Smith Auditorium)
SGA Executive President Jadan Martin and Dean of Students Dr. Justin Tyler Owens will welcome the spring additions of the 174th entering class at Catawba College. - 9:15 – 10:00 am: Discovering Your Success at Catawba College (Tom Smith Auditorium)
Join Success Coaches Eric Kidd and Kira Harwood for an enlightening session designed to empower future students with essential skills and offer families invaluable insights to support their students’ success at Catawba College. Our Success Coaches understand that the student journey is filled with both excitement and challenges. That’s why we prioritize the crucial role of success coaches in unlocking your potential and helping you achieve your academic and personal goals. - 10:00-10:15 am: Break & Time to Move to Next Session
- 10:15-10:55 am: Conversation with Administration & Parents (Tom Smith Auditorium)
Join us for a dynamic parent panel where staff members share insights on what it’s really like for students living on campus, finding internship opportunities, and navigating college academics. You’ll hear firsthand tips on helping your student make the most of their residential experience, stay on track in the classroom, and prepare for career success — all while adjusting to life away from home. Whether you're wondering how to support healthy habits, encourage involvement, or guide your student toward professional opportunities, this session is designed to answer your questions and ease the transition for family and friends of new students. - 11:00 – 11:30 am: Meet the Academic Deans (Ketner Atrium)
Join us for a unique opportunity to meet the academic deans of Catawba College. This session allows students, parents, and families to connect directly with academic leadership and learn more about each college and school’s vision, programs, and support systems. Gain insight into the academic experience your student will have throughout their time at Catawba. - 11:30 – 1:00 pm: Resource Fair and Lunch
Lunch (Cannon Dining Commons) & Resource Fair (Leonard Lounge)
Enjoy lunch in the dining hall, where a variety of delicious food options await you! While you're there, be sure to stop by the Resource Fair to connect with helpful campus departments and organizations. Passport to Prizes inside your folder, you’ll find a Resource Fair Passport, visit different tables, collect stamps and turn in your completed passport for a chance to win a $50 Campus Bookstore gift card! - 1:00 – 1:30 pm: Choose Your Own Academic Adventure (Ketner Hall, Classrooms)
Sample a college class experience from one of our teaching faculty members. Faculty have designed class content to help you understand what your students will encounter in the classroom and how academic majors will lead to future career opportunities.
Room 2105: James Hand, “Assessing Injuries in the NFL- from the Couch.”
Room 2115: Jay Bolin, “What do Chicken Nuggets and Stable Isotopes have to Do with Each Other? A Short and Fun Demonstration Class and a Discussion of Catawba Science Student Career Paths after Graduation.” - 1:30- 2:00 pm: Navigating the Transition (Ketner Hall, Room 2105)
As your student embarks on their college journey, you may be feeling a mix of emotions—pride, excitement, and perhaps a little uncertainty. This session is designed to support friends and family members as you navigate the transition of letting go while staying connected with your student. Learn how to strike the right balance between offering support and giving them the space they need to grow and thrive independently. - 2:05 – 3:00 pm: Financial Aid & Student Accounts Overview (Tom Smith Auditorium)
- Leaders from Financial Aid and Student Accounts will be discussing the important details with family and friends regarding financial responsibilities and pathways to affordability.
- 3:00 – 5:00 pm: Residence Hall Move-in or Financial Aid Appointments
- Students who are moving on campus will visit the Office of Residence Life to receive their Key for their room. The Student Affairs team can help answer any last-minute questions regarding the campus life experience! The Office of Residence Life is located within the Cannon Student Center. If parents or students are interested in scheduling time with the Financial Aid team, the staff will be available to help explore financial options.
