New Student Orientation Schedule

6–8 a.m. Varsity Practice, Various Locations

8–9 a.m. Breakfast, Rosenfield Center, Marketplace Dining

8:30 a.m. Invitation Only - Disability Services Breakfast, East Side Lawn in Front of Steiner

9:30 a.m.-noon Grinnell Farmers Market, Central Park

The Grinnell Farmers Market is a 100% producer-grown or made market, meaning that all items for sale must be entirely grown or made by the vendor or immediate family members in the state of Iowa.

9:10 a.m.–9:55 a.m. Sexual Respect Session Harris Center, Cinema / Drug and Alcohol Awareness Harris Center, Concert Hall

9:55–10:05 a.m. Break

10:05 a.m.–10:50 a.m. Sexual Respect Session Harris Center, Cinema / Drug and Alcohol Awareness Harris Center, Concert Hall

11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. Lunch, Rosenfield Center, Marketplace Dining

1–3 p.m. First Tutorial Meeting, Tutorial Classroom

3–5 p.m. Languages and Cultures at Grinnell, Kington Plaza

Rain Location: HSSC A1231 Multipurpose Room

4–6 p.m. Varsity Practice, Various Locations

5:30–7:30 p.m. Dinner, Rosenfield Center, Marketplace Dining

7:30–9 p.m. All Campus Jamboree, Mac Field

9–11 p.m. Arcade Night, Harris Center, Concert Hall

8–9 a.m. Breakfast, Rosenfield Center, Marketplace Dining

8 a.m.–5 p.m. Individual Advising Appointments, Tutorial Faculty Offices (unless directed otherwise by faculty member)

8 a.m.–5 p.m. Registrar Office Hours for submitting completed Course Registration Cards, John Chrystal Center

9–11 a.m. Student Health and Wellness – Discuss Outstanding Health Requirements, SHAW Office, Lower Level of the Forum

9–11 a.m. Varsity Practice, Various Locations

9–11 a.m. Grinnell Singers Auditions, Bucksbaum Arts Center, Room 152

9-11 a.m. Young, Gifted and Black (YGB) Choir Information Session, Herrick Chapel 

The YGB Choir is a music ensemble with its roots in the African American gospel tradition and is open to all students. The choir sings a range of traditional and contemporary gospel hymns and songs. We invite you to become a part of a Grinnell tradition since its humble beginnings in 1967.

9–11 a.m. Student Employment Paperwork, Rosenfield Center, Room 209

9–noon STEM Course Placement Consultation  

Math: Faculty offices on the second floor Noyce, 2500 hall

Statistics: Faculty offices on the second floor, Rooms 2515, 2218, 2249, or 2042 

Computer Science:  Noyce, Room 2811

Physics: Faculty offices, first floor Noyce, Rooms 1030 to 1037  

11 a.m.–noon Department of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies Information Session, Bucksbaum Arts Center, Roberts Theatre

11:45 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Global Opportunities at Grinnell, HSSC, Multipurpose Room

11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. Lunch, Rosenfield Center, Marketplace Dining

1 p.m. Canoe at Rock Creek State Park, Bear to Rock Creek

Preregistration Required

Participant Max: 9

Spend the afternoon paddling at Rock Creek State Park! You will learn canoeing safety and basic paddle strokes before heading out to paddle on Rock Creek Lake. No previous canoeing experience is necessary.

Driving Time: Approximately 10 minutes one way

Amenities: Restrooms with flush toilets and potable water available near boat ramp

1 p.m. Hike at Uhlenhopp Arboretum, Harris to Rock Creek

Preregistration Required

Participant Max: 10

Explore a natural area just outside Grinnell on foot. Uhlenhopp Arboretum spans 250-acres with thousands of trees and seven ponds named for the days of the week. On this trip, we will hike a 3.1-mile loop around the arboretum.

Driving distance: Approximately 10 minutes one way

Amenities: Pit toilets and potable water available at parking lot

1 p.m. Hike at Jacob Krumm Nature Preserve, Harris to Rock Creek

Preregistration Required

Participant Max: 10

Spend the afternoon hiking at Jacob Krumm Nature Preserve, a 450-acre natural area just five miles southwest of Grinnell. We will hike a series of two loops through woodlands, around a lake, and through a prairie covering approximately 5 miles. No previous hiking experience is necessary.

Driving Time: Approximately 15 minutes one way

Amenities: Restrooms with flush toilets and potable water available at trailhead

1 p.m. Bike to Rock Creek State Park, Joe Rosenfield Center (JRC) to Rock Creek

Preregistration Required

Participant Max: 9

Check out one of Grinnell’s local trails by bike! The Rock Creek Recreation Trail begins near Grinnell High School and travels through rolling hills and farmland for 5.8 miles to Rock Creek State Park. On this adventure, we will bike from campus to Rock Creek State Park, where we will take a break before biking back to campus. We’ll bike approximately 14 miles in total. Bikes and helmets will be provided. You must have previous experience riding a bike.

Amenities: Restrooms with flush toilets and potable water available at Rock Creek State Park

1–4 p.m. Computer Science Course Placement Office Hours, Noyce Science Center, 2811

1–5 p.m. STEM Course Placement Consultation  

Math: Faculty offices on the second floor Noyce, 2500 hall

Statistics: Faculty offices on the second floor, Rooms 2515, 2218, 2249, or 2042 

Computer Science:  Noyce, Room 2811

Physics: Faculty offices, 1st floor Noyce, Rooms 1030 to 1037  

2–3:30 p.m. The Grinnell Social Justice Walking Tour, Front steps of the John Chrystal Center

Rain location: Chrystal Center, Room 010

2–4 p.m. Get into Grinnell: Flavors of 50112, Renfrow Hall Courtyard Rain Location: Weingart Civic Innovation Pavilion

4–6 p.m. Varsity Practice, Various Locations

5:30–7:30 p.m. Dinner, Rosenfield Center, Marketplace Dining

8 p.m. John Cassidy (Comedian and Balloon Artist), Harris Center, Concert Hall

8–9 a.m. Breakfast, Rosenfield Center, Marketplace Dining

8 a.m.–5 p.m. Registrar Office Hours, Crystal Center

9–11 a.m. Varsity Practice, Various Locations

10 a.m. Course Schedules Available on Colleague Self-Service for Review

Add alternative courses / sections to your plan and seek approval from your faculty adviser, so you are ready to add/drop at 3 p.m.

10–11 a.m. Music Lesson Sign Up (if you have not already), Bucksbaum Center for the Arts, Sebring-Lewis Hall

10:30 a.m.–noon Academic Onboarding: Finalizing Registration and Preparing for the Semester, Harris Center, Cinema

Session with Registrar’s and Academic Success Center

11 a.m.–noon Colloquium Topic 1: , HSSC Auditorium

noon–1:30 p.m. Lunch, Rosenfield Center, Marketplace Dining

1–2 p.m. Colloquium Topic 2: , HSSC Auditorium

1:30–2:30 p.m. Dining Employment Training, Rosenfield Center, Marketplace Dining

2–3 p.m. Colloquium Topic 3: , HSSC Auditorium

2–4 p.m. Tutorial advisers will be available in their offices and/or online to provide additional assistance with add/drop/waitlist.

2:30 p.m. NSO Group Check-In, Various Locations

3 p.m. First-Year Student Add/Drop, Colleague Self Service and adviser offices, if needed

First year students who want to make changes to their schedule will have the opportunity to add, drop, and waitlist for classes using Colleague Self-Service starting at 3 p.m. Add/Drop/Waitlist opens to all students at 4 p.m.

3:30–7:30 p.m. All Campus Welcome Festival, Central Campus
Rain Plan: Rescheduled for Saturday, Aug. 30, 2025, 2-6 p.m.

4–6 p.m. Varsity Practice, Various Locations

6–7:30 p.m. All Campus Welcome Dinner, Eight Avenue

Rain Location: Rosenfield Center, Marketplace Dining