Welcome to Goshen College!
New Student Orientation provides you and your families an opportunity to finally make all your planning for a college education a reality. By the end of the weekend, you will officially be a part of the Goshen College community!
Starting Saturday morning, August 24, you can check in at the College Mennonite Church fellowship hall for a one-stop connection to the people and offices you need to to be ready for your first week of classes. Residential students will be able to move in to their dorm rooms and meet their Resident Assistant (RA). Commuting students can visit Coffman hall to see the Commuter student lounge and study spaces. Everyone can visit Follett Bookstore to purchase supplies and books or check out the Good Library computer lab and the Academic Success Center. If you need a boost of coffee or a bite to eat, you can grab a coffee from Java Junction or lunch from AVI Fresh in Westlawn Dining Hall.
On Saturday afternoon, you and your parents/guests will join in activities and presentations that help you get to know Goshen College academics and campus life. This will be followed with a campus-wide picnic for you, your parents/guests, and GC employees. Students, please stay for some evening fun on the lawn of Kratz, Miller, and Yoder dorms. Parents, take this chance to explore downtown Goshen. See the schedule below for additional information.
On Sunday morning, you can purchase breakfast in Westlawn Dining Hall before joining us at 11:15 AM in the Church Chapel for worship and a service of blessing for you and your parents/guests led by Campus Pastor Joanne Gallardo. After lunch on your own, all new students–First-year and Transfer–will gather to travel by bus to Merry Lea, Goshen College’s environmental learning center, to enjoy nature and build relationships.
To cap off the orientation weekend, all students are invited to an Ice Cream Social hosted by College Mennonite Church.
On Monday, all new students will gather in Umble Center at 9:00 AM for important academic orientation sessions and Language and Math Placement testing. Transfers may have afternoon advising appointments; first-year students may drop in to see their Core 100, Identity, Culture, & Community professor, who serves as their first semester academic adviser.
At 3:00 PM students can learn about on-campus jobs, volunteer, and area worship opportunities through Community Day in the Church Chapel. Monday ends with a Student Life Cookout on the Union Patio for food, games, live music, and more!
See links and information below, as well as on the July newsletter and the Admitted Student page, for more information, but don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.
Overall Schedule August 24-26, 2019
Condensed Schedule (English and Spanish)(Coming Soon)
Attendance required:
* First-year students
# Transfer students
+ Family/Guests encouraged to attend
^ Employees welcome
Click here to jump to Sunday, Aug. 25, 2019
Click here to jump to Monday, Aug. 26, 2019
Click here to jump to Student Resources
Saturday, Aug. 24, 2019
REMINDER: CHECK IN BEFORE YOU MOVE IN!
8-11 :00 a.m. | Check in for Residential Students * # +
10-11:30 a.m. | Check-in for Commuter Students * # +
Church-Chapel, Fellowship Hall
All new students arrive! Make your first stop at the Church-Chapel, south entrance. After being greeted by college personnel, you will complete your check-in process. For easy access, please park in the Church-Chapel parking lot, located at the south end of campus (off State Road 15) – just follow the signs! In case an emergency prevents your arrival to campus during the 8 – 11:30 a.m. required check-in please call Campus Safety, 574-535-7599. Note that Financial Aid and Accounting personnel will be available to answer questions during check in. Accounting Office personnel will be available to receive payments. See goshen.edu/accounting for more information.
9 a.m. | Residence halls open (Check in before you move in!) * # +
Residence halls will be open for all new residential students (first-year and transfer) to move in. Your room key will be available at the New Student check-in located in the Church Chapel Fellowship Hall.
10:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. | Dining hall open
Dining hall is open for brunch. Students with a meal plan swipe their ID card; all others pay cash or credit card.
1:00 – 1:30 p.m. | Welcome Celebration * # + ^
Church-Chapel, Sanctuary
Orientation begins with a welcome for all new students and their families/guests.
1:30 – 2:30 p.m. | Life in the Classroom: Introduction to GC Academics * # +
Classrooms
After an introduction to GC Academics in the Church-Chapel, you and your family/guests will accompany a professor to a campus classroom for an introduction to the Goshen Core and opportunities for learning.
2:30 – 3 p.m. | Break * # +
Student Social: KMY Lawn
Family Social: Church Chapel lobby
Students:
3:00-3:30 p.m. | New Student Fun and Field games * #
Kratz/Miller/Yoder (KMY) Lawn
All new students will join their New Student Orientation Leader for getting-to-know-each-other games.
3:30-4:15 p.m. | Life on Campus: New Student Introduction to GC Student Life* #
Kratz/Miller/Yoder (KMY) Connector (Residential Students)
Coffman Hall Commuter Lounge (Commuter Students)
All new students will get information about campus resources and policies.
Family/Student Guests:
3:00 – 4:15 p.m. | Life on Campus: Family/Guests Introduction to GC Student Life +
Church-Chapel, Sanctuary
Family/Guests will gather in the Church Chapel sanctuary to get information about key campus departments and services: Academic Support, Counseling Services, Safety & Security, Career Networks, Campus Ministry, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and Title IX.
4:30 – 5:00 p.m. | New Student Launch * # + ^
Church-Chapel, Sanctuary
President Stoltzfus will offer all new students and family/guests an official recognition of your new status as a Goshen College student. Required for first-year and transfer students; optional for re-admitted and post-graduate students. Employees welcome.
5 – 6:30 p.m. | New Student Picnic * # + ^
Westlawn Dining Hall
All new students and their families/guests are invited to dinner with faculty and staff to celebrate your joining the Goshen College community. This is a complimentary meal for guests and a meal swipe for students.
Students:
7 p.m.| GC Campus Community Game Night: Slip and Slide Kickball * #
Kratz-Miller-Yoder (KMY) Lawn
Sponsored by Campus Activities Council (CAC). Come hang out, listen to music, play Slip and Slide Kickball, and get to know other students.
Family/Guests:
Families/Guests have the evening free. Head downtown for ice cream at the Chief, coffee at The Electric Brew, or quiet conversation at local restaurants.
Campus Services available Saturday 8/24
8 a.m. – 5 p.m. | Juanita Lark Welcome Center open
Staff can provide information and directions to New Student Orientation activities. All other offices are available
8:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. | Java Junction open (Kratz/Miller/Yoder Connector)
9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. | Campus Bookstore open (East Entrance to Union)
Bookstore credit is available for students whose accounts will have a credit balance after billing and financial aid are posted to accounts. This credit can be used toward the purchase of books and supplies only.
1 – 5 p.m. | Good Library open
8 a.m. – noon; 1 – 3 p.m. & 7 – 9 p.m. | Information Technology Services (ITS) Help Desk hours (Schertz Computing Lab, East Entrance to Union)
Check in with the IT Helpdesk if you have any computer, networking or WiFi questions.
Click here to jump to Saturday, Aug. 24, 2019
Click here to jump to Monday, Aug. 26, 2019
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Sunday, Aug. 25, 2019
8 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. | Continental Breakfast
Dining hall is open for continental breakfast. Students with a meal plan swipe their ID card; all others pay cash or credit card.
11:15 a.m.-12:00 p.m. | Service of Blessing
Umble Center
All new students and their families/guests are invited to a time of worship. This is the last planned activity for both students and their families during New Student Days. We encourage all participants to come celebrate God’s presence in the beginning of a new venture. Families/Guests say good-bye after the blessing.
12 – 1 p.m. | Dining hall open
Dining hall is open for continental breakfast. Students with a meal plan swipe their ID card; all others pay cash or credit card.
1:00 – 1:30 p.m. | New Student Orientation Group meetings * #
Music Center
Students will meet with their New Student Orientation leaders outside the Music Center for Sunday’s community-building activities. All groups will load the buses to travel to Merry Lea. Please come to this meeting prepared for an afternoon of outdoor activities. Wear sneakers or comfortable shoes, no sandals and please do not bring your iPads.
1:30 – 5 p.m. | Merry Lea New Student Retreat * #
Merry Lea
5 – 7:00 p.m. | Dining hall open for dinner
Westlawn Dining Hall (Students with Meal Plan)
Coffman Commuter Student Lounge (Students without a Meal Plan)
8 p.m. | Ice cream social hosted by College Mennonite Church
Schrock Plaza (Rain location: Church-Chapel, Rooms 141-144)
Chill out with live music and homemade ice cream for all students – a campus tradition.
Campus Services available Sunday 8/25
8 a.m. – 5 p.m. | Juanita Lark Welcome Center open
Staff can provide information and directions to New Student Orientation activities. All other offices are available
11 a.m. – 3 p.m. | Bookstore open
Bookstore credit is available for students whose accounts will have a credit balance after billing and financial aid are posted to accounts. This credit can be used toward the purchase of books and supplies only.
Chill out with live music and homemade ice cream for all students – a campus tradition.
Click here to jump to Saturday, Aug. 24, 2019
Click here to jump to Sunday, Aug. 25, 2019
Click here to jump to Student Resources
Monday, Aug. 26, 2019
9 – 10:30 a.m. | All New Students Academic Session * #
Umble Center
In addition to academic orientation, students will be introduced to content to aid in the transition to college life.
10:30 – 11:00 a.m. | First-Year Student Introduction to Moodle * #
Umble Center
10:30 – 11:30 a.m. | Transfer Student Introduction to GC Research and Technology #
Good Library
11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. | Core 100: Identity, Culture, and Community (ICC) students *
Classrooms
Core 100 ICC classes meet in their regularly assigned classroom for a first-class of the semester.
11:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. | Lunch
Available in Westlawn Dining Hall or Leaf Raker
12:30 – 3:00 p.m. | Transfer Student Advising Appointments #
Faculty offices (Check directory at my.goshen.edu)
By appointment only. Transfer students can sign up for a meeting with their adviser to check their schedule, ask questions, and learn more about department activities.
2 – 3 p.m. | Drop-in appointments with CORE 100 Identity, Culture & Community professors
If you need to make changes in your class schedule, your Core 100 professor, who is also your first semester adviser, has open office hours. You can drop in to get advice and an approval signature.
1:00 – 4:00 p.m. | Placement Tests
Union, room 004 (Good Library and Schertz computer labs)
All students with any prior experience in a language should take the Language Placement test in that language to help determine the appropriate class to fulfill Intercultural Study requirements for the Goshen Core. Students who have not taken the SAT or ACT exam can register to take the Math competency exam to determine the appropriate class to meet the Quantitative Literacy Requirement. Students who took placement tests when on campus for SOAR do not need to take a placement test, unless they want to retake the test for a higher score.
Pre-registration recommended. Contact Judy Weaver at jweaver@goshen.edu or 574-535-7560.
Language Placement Tests
Good Library, room 102
Spanish
French
German
Chinese
1:00 – 2 p.m.
2:00 – 3 p.m.
3:00 – 4 p.m.
Quantitative Literacy Placement Tests
Schertz Computer Lab, room 104
1:00 – 2 p.m.
2:00 – 3 p.m.
3:00 – 4 p.m.
3:00 – 4:30 p.m. | Community Day
Hallway surrounding the sanctuary of the Church-Chapel
Student organizations, volunteer opportunities, part-time job options and local churches will be present.
5 – 7 p.m. | Student Life Cookout
Union Patio (Rain location: Westlawn Dining Hall)
All are welcome! Come meet the Student Life team and welcome back returning students at the annual Student Life Cookout. Fun and games, live music and more! Meal swipe required. Off campus students must contact Corie Steinke at csteinke@goshen.edu, or 574-535-7291 to receive meal voucher.
Campus Services available Monday 8/26
7:30 – 10:30 a.m. | Dining Hall open for breakfast
8 a.m. – 5 p.m. | All college offices open
8 a.m. – 5 p.m. | ITS HelpDesk
Schertz Computing Lab
8 a.m. – 11 p.m. | Good Library open
8:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. | Leaf Raker open
8:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. | Java Junction open
9 a.m. – 6 p.m. | Bookstore open
Cash, check or credit card purchases. Bookstore purchases are available for students whose accounts will have a credit balance after billing and financial aid are posted to accounts. Credit on account can be used toward the purchase of books and supplies only.
11 a.m. | Counseling services available by appointment
Regular counseling hours begin Tuesday, August 28. If health assistance is needed, contact your orientation team leader or resident assistant.
Click here to jump to Saturday, Aug. 24, 2019
Click here to jump to Sunday, Aug. 25, 2019
Click here to jump to Monday, Aug. 26, 2019
Student Resources
Student Life Personnel
Gilberto Perez, Jr., Vice President of Student Life
574-535-7434
Chad Coleman, Director of Student Life Operations for RFC and Campus Safety
574-535-7292
Corie Steinke, Director of Student Involvement
574-535-7291
Luna Maria Campos, Administrative Assistant
574-535-7543
Harold Watson, Director of Athletics
574-535-7491
Academic Success Center
Judy Weaver, Director of the Academic Success Center
574-535-7560
Jesse Loewen, Academic Counselor
574-535-7290
Campus Ministries
Joanne Gallardo, Campus Pastor
574-535-7776
Career Networks
David Kendall, Career Networks Coordinator
574-535-7833
Counseling Services
Rick Eby
574-535-7541
Jennifer Miller
574-535-7673
Residence Life
Corie Steinke, Director of Student Involvement
574-535-7291
Residence Life Coordinator – Student Apartments/Kulp Hall/Intentional Living Communities
574-535-7286
Residence Life Coordinator – Kratz/Yoder
574-535-7290
Roman Gingerich Recreation-Fitness Center
Chad Coleman, Director of Student Life Operations (RFC Director)
574-535-7292
Campus Safety
Chad Coleman, Director of Student Life Operations (Campus Safety)
574-535-7292
24/7 Campus Safety Dispatch
754-535-7599
Health Services
Goshen Family Physicians
574-534-8200
Diverse Student Support Staff
Dr. LaKendra Hardware; Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; Black Student Union Adviser
574-535-7542
Dan Koop-Liechty, International Student Adviser
574-535-7872
Rocio Diaz, Director of Community Engagement and Adult Outreach
574-535-7808