New Student Orientation

a crowd of Occidental students walking out of Thorne Hall on campus

We are excited to partner with you in your journey as a new student at Occidental College.

Orientation is designed to foster a celebratory and welcoming environment where new students can explore how to make informed academic decisions and responsible social choices by tapping into resources and services offered by the College. By building a sense of community that connects students to faculty, staff, administrators, and each other, orientation also fosters an appreciation of Occidental’s commitment to equity, excellence, and service. Orientation is mandatory for all new students. For more information, email Sabrina Willison at swillison@oxy.edu.

 

Goals

  • Celebrate new students, build excitement, and reaffirm their choice in Occidental College.
  • Demonstrate that Occidental is a welcoming, engaging, and inclusive campus.
  • Provide a framework for four years of success through the communication of expectations, norms, and standards.
  • Honor a distinctive interdisciplinary and multicultural academic program.
  • Introduce a culture of care, high-impact involvement opportunities, and outstanding leadership development programs.
  • Identify shared aspirations of social justice, cultural competence, and engaged citizenship.
  • Educate students about sexual misconduct and discrimination, harassment, and retaliation policies.

 

Intended Learning Outcomes

  • Participants will be able to convey their own purpose of education.
  • Participants will be able to define Occidental’s mission and describe where their personal goals and values align with the College’s vision.
  • Participants will be able to identify campus resources and student services that support their educational and personal development.
  • Participants will be able to identify community engagement and leadership development opportunities.
  • Participants will be able to articulate the importance of building a personal connection to the campus community.
  • Participants will reflect on and assess the New Student Orientation, detailing their experiences and opportunities for program growth.

First-Year Orientation Schedule

When Where What
8 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. Johnson Student Center Welcome & Check-in
10 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Concessions Stand

Touchdown Thrift Move-In Sale
2:30 - 5:00 p.m. Residence Halls Living on Campus: Expectations & Community Building
4 - 5 p.m. Remsen Bird Hillside Theater Matriculation
5:30 - 7 p.m. Remsen Bird Hillside Theater Welcome to Oxy! A Community Celebration
7 - 7:30 p.m. Marketplace Dinner
8 - 10 p.m. JSC Quad Late-night Programming

 

When Where What
9 - 10 a.m. Various Campus Locations Orientation Team Time
10 - 11 a.m. Thorne Auditorium Academic Integrity
11 a.m. - 12 p.m. Various Campus Locations

Community Building Sessions

  • Community and Equity Overview
  • Restorative Practices
  • Preventing Antisemitism/Islamophobia
12 - 1 p.m. Marketplace Lunch
12 - 1 p.m. Branca Patio First-Gen Lunch
1 - 2:30 p.m. Various Campus Locations

Oxy Comunity Resources

  • Civil Rights and Title IX* (Trigger Warning)
  • Project SAFE* (Trigger Warning)
  • Alcohol and Other Drugs
2:30 - 4 p.m. Various Campus Locations

Wellbeing Conversations

  • A Community of Care
  • Emmons & Wellbeing
  • Disability Services
4 - 4:30 p.m. Various Campus Locations Orientation Team Time
4:30 - 5:30 p.m. Academic Quad Academic Fair
5:30 - 6:30 p.m. JSC Quad Sweet Sendoffs
5:30 - 8:00 p.m. Concessions Stand

Touchdown Thrift Move-In Sale
6:30 - 7:30 p.m. Marketplace Dinner
7 - 9 p.m. Vidiots LA Engage Move Night
8 - 10 p.m. Tiger Cooler, JSC

SLICE – Late-night Programming

 

When Where What
9 - 10:30 a.m. Johnson Hall Language Placement Exams
9:30 a.m. - 11 a.m. Fowler Hall Resource Share (O-Team)
11 a.m. - 12 p.m. Various Campus Locations

Community Building Sessions

  • Community and Equity Overview
  • Restorative Practices
  • Preventing Antisemitism/Islamophobia
12 - 1 p.m. Marketplace Lunch
1 - 2:30 p.m. Various Campus Locations

Oxy Comunity Resources

  • Civil Rights and Title IX* (Trigger Warning)
  • Project SAFE* (Trigger Warning)
  • Alcohol and Other Drugs
2:30 - 4 p.m. Various Campus Locations

Wellbeing Conversations

  • A Community of Care
  • Emmons & Wellbeing
  • Disability Services
4 - 5 p.m. Booth Hall  Music Theory Placement Exam
4 - 5:30 p.m. Tiger Cooler, JSC Quad Ice Cream with Campus Safety
5:30 - 7:30 p.m. Marketplace Dinner
7 - 9 p.m. Tiger Cooler, JSC, Choi 

SLICE – Late-night Programming

 

When Where What
9 - 10:30 a.m. Mosher 1 Math Placement Exams
9 - 10:30 a.m. Various Campus Locations Resource Scavenger Hunt
11 a.m. - 12 p.m. Various Campus Locations

Community Building Sessions

  • Community and Equity Overview
  • Restorative Practices
  • Preventing Antisemitism/Islamophobia
12 - 1 p.m. Marketplace Lunch
1 - 2:30 p.m. Various Campus Locations

Oxy Comunity Resources

  • Civil Rights and Title IX* (Trigger Warning)
  • Project SAFE* (Trigger Warning)
  • Alcohol and Other Drugs
2:30 - 4 p.m. Various Campus Locations

Wellbeing Conversations

  • A Community of Care
  • Emmons & Wellbeing
  • Disability Services
4:30 - 5:30 p.m. Academic Quad First-Year Seminar Meet & Greet
6:30 - 7:30 p.m. Marketplace Dinner
7 - 9 p.m. MORRISON, CHOI, COOLER

SLICE – Late-night Programming

 

When Where What
9 - 10:30 a.m. Various Campus Locations Resource Scavenger Hunt
10 - 11 a.m. Choi Auditorium Student Athlete JEDI Session
11 a.m. - 12 p.m. Academic Quad Academic Advising - Group Meetings
12 - 5 p.m. Various Campus Locations Individual Advising Appointments
12 - 4 p.m. JSC Quad Student Services & Clubs Tables
5:30 - 7:30 p.m. Marketplace, Tiger Cooler Dinner
7 - 9 p.m. Residence Halls REHS Late-night Programming

 

When Where What
9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Academic Commons (Library) Class Registration
5:30 - 7:30 p.m. Marketplace Dinner

 

When Where What
9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Various L.A. Locations L.A. Engage
11 a.m. - 5 p.m. Concessions Stand

Touchdown Thrift Move-In Sale
6 - 8 p.m. Rush Gymnasium  Volleyball Scrimmage

 

When Where What
9:30 - 11 a.m. Thorne Auditorium Convocation

 

First day of classes for the Fall 2026 semester. 

Transfer Orientation Schedule

When Where What
8 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. Johnson Student Center Welcome & Check-in
10 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Concessions Stand

Touchdown Thrift Move-In Sale
2:30 - 5:00 p.m. Residence Halls Living on Campus: Expectations & Community Building
4 - 5 p.m. Remsen Bird Hillside Theater Matriculation
5:30 - 7 p.m. Remsen Bird Hillside Theater Welcome to Oxy! A Community Celebration
7 - 7:30 p.m. Marketplace Dinner
8 - 10 p.m. JSC Quad Late-night Programming

 

When Where What
9 - 10 a.m. Various Campus Locations Orientation Team Time
10 - 11 a.m. Thorne Auditorium Academic Integrity
11 a.m. - 12 p.m. BIOS 113

Advising Overview
12 - 1 p.m. Marketplace Lunch
12 - 1 p.m. Branca Patio First-Gen Lunch
1 - 2 p.m. BIOS 113

Transfer Experience - Tips and Tricks
2:00 - 2:30 p.m. BIOS 113

Undergraduate Research
2:30 - 3:00 p.m. BIOS 113 International Programs Offices
3 - 4 p.m. BIOS 113 Equity Conversation - Community and Equity Overview
4:00 - 4:30 p.m. Various Campus Locations Orientation Team Time
4:30 - 5:30 p.m. Academic Quad Academic Fair
5:30 - 6:30 p.m. JSC Quad Sweet Sendoffs
5:30 - 8:00 p.m. Concessions Stand

Touchdown Thrift Move-In Sale
6:30 - 7:30 p.m. Marketplace Dinner
7 - 9 p.m. Vidiots LA Engage Move Night
8 - 10 p.m. Tiger Cooler, JSC

SLICE – Late-night Programming

 

When Where What
9 - 10 a.m. Hameetman Career Center

Hameetman Career Center Overview
10 a.m. - 11 a.m. BIOS 113 Civil Rights & Title IX
11 a.m. - 12 p.m. BIOS 113

Wellbeing Panel
12 - 1 p.m. Branca Patio Transfer Advising Lunch
1 - 2 p.m. Various Campus Locations

Individual Advising Appointments
2 - 3 p.m. BIOS 113

Transfer Student Union - Involvement Opportunities
3 - 4 p.m. BIOS 113

Equity Conversation - Restorative Practices
4 - 5 p.m. Booth Hall  Music Theory Placement Exam
4 - 5:30 p.m. Tiger Cooler, JSC Quad Ice Cream with Campus Safety
5:30 - 7:30 p.m. Marketplace Dinner
7 - 9 p.m. Tiger Cooler, JSC, Choi 

SLICE – Late-night Programming

 

When Where What
9:30 - 10 a.m. Various Campus Locations

Orientation Team Time
10 - 11 a.m. BIOS 113 Project SAFE
11 a.m. - 12 p.m. Various Campus Locations

Individual Advising
12 - 1 p.m. Marketplace Lunch
1 - 2 p.m. BIOS 113

Academic Resource Panel
2 - 3 p.m. BIOS 113

Connecting to Los Angeles
3 - 4 p.m. BIOS 113 Equity Conversation - Preventing Antisemitism/Islamophobia
5:30 - 6:30 -  p.m. Branca Patio Transfer Dinner
7 - 9 p.m. MORRISON, CHOI, COOLER

SLICE – Late-night Programming

 

When Where What
9 - 10:30 a.m. Various Campus Locations Orientation Team Time
10 - 11 a.m. Choi Auditorium 

Student Athlete JEDI Session
11 a.m. - 12 p.m. Brown Lab Library Research Session
12 - 1 p.m. Marketplace Lunch
1 - 3 p.m. Brown Lab/LIB 115 Transfer Registration
2 - 4 p.m. JSC Quad Student Services & Clubs Tables
5:30 - 7:30 p.m. Marketplace, Tiger Cooler Dinner
7 - 9 p.m. Residence Halls REHS Late-night Programming

 

When Where What
9:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. Off Campus LA Engage Trip
5:30 - 7:30 p.m. Marketplace Dinner

 

When Where What
11 a.m. - 5 p.m. Concessions Stand

Touchdown Thrift Move-In Sale
6 - 8 p.m. Rush Gymnasium  Volleyball Scrimmage

 

When Where What
9:30 - 11 a.m. Thorne Auditorium Convocation

 

First day of classes for the Fall 2026 semester. 

When Where What
5 - 7 p.mp Swan Lounge Transfer Tea

 

Office of Admission
Collins House

1600 Campus Road
Los Angeles, CA 90041

admission@oxy.edu