8 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Check in at your assigned residence hall and get settled into your room. Students and staff will direct you and help you unload. You will pick up your Student ID at your residence hall check-in table.
Students in Townhouses/McKee check in at Student Life.
9 a.m.– 3 p.m.
11 am–1 p.m. Campus Services- Central Hall, lower level. Any student who does not yet have a student ID should stop by to get one during this time.
11 a.m.–1 p.m. Lunch buffet in The Central Market. Meal plan begins for new students. Cost - $6.50 for family members. Burgers and short order items are also available in Grand Central Station, Maytag Student Center throughout the day.
11:30 a.m.–1 p.m. Legacy Luncheon - Graham Conference Center Banquet Hall New students whose parents or grandparents are Central College alumni are invited to join other legacy students and their parents for this annual event.
1:30 p.m. Parent Session - van Emerick Studio, 2nd Floor, Maytag Student Center. Parents have the opportunity to meet with professional staff from advising, counseling, career center, health services, and other student life offices to learn how you can point your student in the right direction when he or she needs help with class work, roommate issues, internship searches, and more.
3 p.m. “A Cool Treat For Tired Feet” – Join the Central College family around the pond for a “cool” welcome. All new families will be served cool refreshments. Now that you are settled in, relax a moment before saying goodbye.
Prior to the conclusion of this, students will need to say their goodbyes to family members and proceed to Douwstra Auditorium to become full-fledged members of the Central family at Turning Over the Class. Welcome Week will be in full swing beginning at 4:00 p.m. and students will be kept quite busy the remainder of the weekend.
4 p.m. Turning Over the Class - Douwstra Auditorium. Your time at Central officially begins with this traditional event! Carol Williamson, Dean of Admission, presents you to President David Roe, setting the tone for your Central College career. Following, our SOS staff will get you energized to kick off the year!
Immediately following Turning Over the Class - SOS group meetings - For students only - locations will be posted. Make 14 friends fast and find out fun facts about Central and each other! You will receive your adviser assignments and valuable information about the rest of the week.
5:30 p.m. President's picnic – 914 Adams Street
Join President David and wife Betsy Roe for a casual dinner on the lawn of the President's house. Your SOS will escort you to the appropriate location.
5:30 p.m. Transfer Student Dinner - off-campus
Join your SOS group for pizza at one of Pella 's local restaurants. Shuttles leave from the Gaass Hall parking lot (near Central Market) at 5:30 p.m.
7:30 p.m. Orientation 101: Beyond the Books! (SOS Groups 1-19) - Graham Banquet Hall Join other new students and your SOS for this interactive, inside peek at real-life in college!
7:30 p.m. A World of Opportunities (SOS Groups 20-40) - Douwstra Auditorium Join other new students and your SOS to interactively learn about Central's expectation for students to: 1. Learn about themselves and others who are, or they perceive to be, different or the same as themselves, 2. Improve upon their interpersonal skills as they relate to living in this residential learning community and 3. Gain confidence and competence in intercultural interactions at Central and beyond.
8:30 p.m. Orientation 101: Beyond the Books! (SOS Groups 20-40) - Graham Banquet Hall
8:30 p.m. A World of Opportunities (SOS Groups 1-19) - Douwstra Auditorium
10:30 p.m. Floor meetings with resident advisers - meet all your floormates in a matter of minutes and discuss some important information on life at this residential campus.
10:45 p.m. - ? Bonfire by the Pond - Sponsored by Residence Life!
11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Lunch with SOS Group— Central Market. Your SOS will tell you your meeting time & location at your first meeting.
12:30-1 p.m. Sustainability at Central – Douwstra Auditorium. Central College is very committed to sustaining the earth's resources. Dr. Russ Benedict, Biology, introduces the concept of sustainability, what it means at Central College and how YOU will be expected to help.
1:00-2:00 p.m. SOS Group Meeting #2- Various locations. Building on last night's performance, the SOS team covers other college dilemmas and tips for making it in your first year. Discussion in small groups to follow.
2:00-3:00 p.m. Scavenger Hunt – Your SOS group will team up with another group to explore campus and the town of Pella . This provides a unique, fun way for you to get to know your way around while meeting more classmates!
3-4:30 p.m. Dining Services Student Employee Meeting- van Emmerik Studio, Maytag 2nd Floor. All students assigned to work-study in Dining Services areas (Central Market, Grand Central Station, and/or Café at Geisler) need to attend this orientation session. Bring your class schedule.
4:45 p.m. “Dinner on us” – Faculty and staff of Central College welcome you to their homes for dinner and conversation. Your SOS will provide all the details.
5:30 p.m. Transfer Student BBQ at Lake Red Rock Join your SOS group and bring a friend if you want. We'll provide the food!
7:30 p.m. Floor meetings with resident advisers . Picking up where you left off last night, meet the upperclass members of your floor and begin establishing expectations of each other and your floor group.
9 p.m. Worship and Praise! - Douwstra Auditiorium. Join Chaplain Joe Brummel and the campus ministries team for a spiritually uplifting opening to the academic year. Gather at the upper chapel for fellowship and praise. All are welcome! Sponsored by InterVarsity, FCA and Campus Ministries.
9 p.m.-Midnight Maytag Madness - Maytag Student Center
Kick-off your year on the right note with the first CAB event! Compete in an XBOX 360 Rock Band tournament, get your very own balloon sculpture, or make your own doorstop, keychains and more! Featured performing is Ari Herstand, a Minneapolis-based musician who has opened for Ben Folds. Brought to you by CAB, your vehicle to campus entertainment. Beep, Beep!
7–9 a.m. Breakfast at Central Market on your own.
9:00 a.m. SOS Group Meeting #3 - Various locations.
9:30-11:20 a.m. Academic Information Sessions- This is your chance to meet your faculty and learn more about the department(s) in which you might major, minor or participate in activities (e.g. theatre, music, etc.). You should attend as many sessions as possible in any area about which you want to learn more:
9:30-10:00 a.m. Department Info Sessions
10:10-10:40 a.m. Department Info Sessions repeated
10:50-11:20 a.m. Department Info Sessions repeated
11:30 a.m.- 12:20 p.m. Intro to College Success Class Meeting - Douwstra Auditorium.
11:30-1:00 p.m. Lunch at Central Market on your own
1-2:50 p.m. Academic Skills Sessions- These 30 minute sessions will help you be better prepared for class on Wednesday. The sessions are repeated throughout the afternoon. Choose the sessions that are most interesting to you and attend as many as possible:
- Is Collaborating Considered Cheating? What all Central students need to know
- What if I don't know what I want to major in?
- What will class be like? Faculty tell all
- Organizing your time and your backpack
- WebAdvisor- Degree Audits (non-ICS students only)
- Make the Most of Your Advising Appointment: Ask Questions, Set Goals
1:40-2:10 p.m. Academic Skills Sessions repeated
2:20-2:50 p.m. Academic Skills Sessions repeated
3 p.m. SOS Meeting #4 - Various locations
4-6:30 p.m. Afternoon athletic practices
4-8:30 p.m. Music Auditions - Faculty Offices, Cox-Snow Music Building
5-7 p.m. Dinner – Central Market.
9 p.m. Dance by the Pond “ Luau Style” - Come enjoy the island breezes and get into the groove of an exciting new year! Be sure to wear your best beach attire and meet us at the Maytag Student Center patio area to show off your hula as we bring the tropics to Iowa for this traditional event. Sponsored by CAB.
7–9 a.m. Breakfast at Central Market on your own.
8 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Enrollment Confirmation - Graham Conference Center. Complete this final necessary step to confirm your enrollment for the fall semester.
Work study students can complete I-9 and W-4 forms if you did not do so at orientation. Social security card or birth certificate is necessary.
8 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Pella Business Fair - Graham Hall Banquet Room. Join local area merchants and see what Pella has to offer! Representatives from the Pella Chamber, banks and other service providers will be on hand.
8:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Individual advising – Confirm fall schedules, decide if changes need to be made and make changes where possible. Changes in the schedule will be signed by the adviser and turned in to the academic records office located in Central Hall, 2nd floor.
1-2 p.m. Enrique's Journey Book Discussion and Intersections Class Meeting— various locations. Join your Intersections classmates and professor for your first class meeting and discussion of your common reading book. See your Central email for a list of the discussion questions. This book will be used throughout the semester in your Intersections class.
2-3:30 p.m. First-Year student assessment. Various locations.
3:45 p.m. Library New Student Employee Meeting - Geisler Library Reading Room All new students assigned to employment in Geisler Library need to attend this meeting. Bring your class schedule.
4-6:30 p.m. Afternoon athletic practices
4-8:30 p.m. Music Auditions - Faculty Offices, Cox-Snow Music Building
5-7 p.m. Dinner – Central Market.
FIRST DAY OF CLASSES
6 p.m. Fall play auditions.
8 p.m. Athletic Department Student Employee Meeting Kuyper Gym All students assigned to work-study in the athletic department need to attend this meeting. Bring your class schedule.
11 a.m. Opening Convocation Douwstra Auditorium
8 p.m. Faculty night in the Residence Halls
9 p.m. Movie on the Wall - Kuyper Athletic Center wall. Grab your blankets & lawn chairs, we'll provide the pop & candy. Join us for this Central tradition!
9 p.m. Comedy Central!* Kick-Off Douwstra Auditorium. CAB hosts comedian Dan Ahdoot from NBC's Last Comic Standing and Comedy Central's Crank Yankers.
**Introduction to College Success Classes will be on retreat at YMCA camp Sunday afternoon.**
Campus 2 Career Thursday, Sept. 3 11 a.m. Douwstra Auditorium. Representatives from Monster.com and the Career Center give tips for finding a major, exploring career paths, and more! (First year experience classes will require attendance here)
Can I Kiss You? Thursday, Sept. 3 7 p.m. Douwstra Auditorium. CAB and Student Life host this hilarious look at relationships, communication, and hooking up. Do you ask?
* Note: This schedule is still tentative. A final schedule will be given to you on move-in day Saturday, August 22.
