Gannon University will welcome 735 freshmen students Friday, Aug. 16 as the university starts a new academic year. Move-in begins at 7:30 a.m. at our residence halls, and a class photo will be taken at 3:45 p.m. beneath the school’s iconic arch.
Move-in represents the start of five days of activities designed to acclimate students to the new year, finishing with Convocation at 10 a.m. Tuesday. Classes begin Wednesday.
“There will be a lot of new energy and a lot of opportunity for us all to grow and transform our lives and the students’ lives in the coming year,” said Gannon University President Keith Taylor, Ph.D.
New and returning students for the fall semester will come from throughout the United States, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, as well as from more than 54 countries worldwide, including Nepal, Japan and Honduras.
The activities that start Friday and run into next week are collectively called “Preview GU” and are designed to help students connect with peers, find a mentor on campus, and create a sense of belonging at Gannon, said Angela Coustillac, director of Leadership Development and Campus Engagement.
“We are excited to welcome our new, incoming students into the Gannon family and show them what the Gannon experience is all about,” Coustillac said.
Among the events planned during Preview Gu is the signature program, Find Your First-Year Team, which will be held from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday and Monday. Students will choose from a number of themed small-group activities through which they will connect with peers.
The IgKnight Activities Fair will be held from 6 to 8:30 p.m. on Monday on Friendship Green and feature food, games, prizes and music.
A Convocation, the formal observance that symbolizes the beginning of the academic year, will be held from 10 to 11 a.m. Tuesday in the Hammermill Center, 620 Peach St.
Gannon will host its third annual Gannon Reading to Enhance Awareness of a Diverse Society (READS) program, in which all incoming first-year students read and discuss a book chosen by University faculty. This year students will receive their book: “On Fire” by author John O’Leary. A number of others will be reading this book as well, including the Student Government Association, physical therapy doctoral students, fourth-year physician assistant students, and Alternative Break Service Trip leaders.
“The large variety of programs and events scheduled throughout the week will provide students a common, yet customizable experience catered to their interests,” Coustillac said.