Although a new student’s official foray into Blacksburg doesn’t start until the beginning of fall semester, New Student Orientation jumpstarts the Hokie experience each summer for thousands of students. Incoming students will be welcomed to campus starting in mid-June and through the beginning of August for First-Year Orientation and Transfer Orientation.

Orientation serves as the first step in a new student’s transition to Virginia Tech. The sessions provide opportunities to get to know other new students, register for classes, receive Hokie Passport identification cards, connect with resources on and off campus, and learn more about the Virginia Tech community.

“New Student Orientation, held each summer, allows our newest Hokies to connect with each other and prepare for academic and student life at Virginia Tech,” said Vice President for Student Affairs Patty Perillo. “With the largest and most diverse incoming class of Hokies arriving in Blacksburg this fall, we’re excited to welcome each and every one of them with open arms. We also enjoy welcoming families to campus, giving them the chance to get acquainted, learn about how we value their partnership, and call this place home.”

To accommodate Virginia Tech’s increased enrollment, two additional sessions were added to the orientation schedule.

  • Virginia Tech will welcome incoming transfer students through four one-day Transfer Orientation sessions from Monday, June 19 to Thursday, June 22.
  • First-Year Orientation will take place in 14 sessions over a five-week period from July 10 to August 2. Each session is two days, and first-year students will spend a night in a residence hall, getting a sneak peek at life on campus.
  • First-Year and Transfer Orientation sessions are scheduled based on a new student’s major. The dates available for each major, along with registration, are available on Hokie SPA.

Parent and Family Orientation, hosted by the Division of Student Affairs' Family Relations office, gives family members an opportunity to learn about relevant information specifically geared toward those supporting incoming students. These sessions occur simultaneously with the student’s orientation sessions, and families will receive a detailed schedule upon arrival at orientation with their student. More information regarding Parent and Family Orientation can be found on the New Student Programs website. A $35 fee will be assessed for each family member or guest attending orientation; this will be charged during the student’s orientation registration process.

While at orientation, all attendees will be pointed to the Hokies on Track mobile app. The app hosts all schedules for orientation, along with information to guide students and families through the transition to life at Virginia Tech.

Following orientation, another opportunity for new students to get acquainted with the Virginia Tech experience is Hokie Camp, an extended-orientation experience that welcomes incoming students to the storied traditions and unwavering values of the Virginia Tech family. Traditionally held at Smith Mountain Lake, this year Hokie Camp will also offer the Blacksburg On-Campus Edition, to take place at Virginia Tech July 21-23. Registration for all sessions of Hokie Camp is open through Hokie SPA.

“Our office has been working throughout the year to create an inclusive, robust orientation and transition program,” said Lizette Rebolledo, director of New Student Programs. “We are excited to provide not only the orientation programs this summer, but also an extended new student experience with Hokie Camp, and transition programs through Hokie Hi during the first weeks of the academic year.”

New Student Programs, a department within the Division of Student Affairs, focuses their work on orientation and transition initiatives and programs for new students at Virginia Tech. In addition to orientation and Hokie Camp, New Student Programs also coordinates Hokie Hi, a series of events and Hokie traditions designed to welcome students back to campus and to continue preparing them for success in and out of the classroom. New students should plan to kick off the school year by connecting with campus and community through a variety of interactive social, artistic, and academic activities.

In addition to orientation sessions in Blacksburg, representatives from Virginia Tech will travel to China to facilitate in-country predeparture orientation for Chinese international students and their families. Sessions will be held on June 23 in Shanghai and June 25 in Beijing.

Written by Holly Paulette

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