From the moment of their early check-in on August 21 to joining President Marie Hardin at the Class of 2029 Welcome on the South Quad the next morning, the new Bobcats were guided by teams of student orientation leaders who put their training to work to help their peers connect and begin to feel at home at Quinnipiac.

Grace Pfalzgraf ’26 is a student coordinator who helped to head up Quinnipiac’s stellar student orientation team this year. She said it’s always exciting for new students to gather for orientation at a time when Quinnipiac is beginning to surge with activity.

“They’re excited because it’s a time when everyone is transitioning and coming back to school,” said Pfalzgraf. “It’s great for us, because a lot of our presentations become super relevant because it’s happening right now. It’s also our job to try to calm them and say, ‘Here’s a few last bits of information,’ and then we can do Welcome Weekend and have fun.”

The day began in the Mount Carmel Auditorium with greetings and information shared by Senior Director for Campus Life Hannah Cranston, Vice President of Student Affairs and Dean of Students Monique Drucker and Assistant Vice President of Career Development and Experiential Learning Kafui Kouakou.

Cranston said orientation provides students with the tools, connections and support they need for a successful transition to college life. By participating, students learn how to thrive academically, access vital resources and understand the responsibilities and values that come with being a member of the Quinnipiac community.

Drucker welcomed the orientation’s mix of students, including first-year students who moved into their residence halls August 20, new commuter students, new transfer students and several international students. To shape their unique college experience, Drucker encouraged them all to say yes to opportunity and to get involved.

“Say yes to learning something new. Say yes to discomfort, because that’s often where your growth begins. Find a mentor, work on a research project, go to faculty office hours. Take a risk. But whatever you do, be engaged. These small ‘yeses’ will help shape your experience, teach you how to advocate for yourself and remind you that you are never alone,” said Drucker. 

"There’s always something to do on campus," Druker added. "Be open to trying something that you may not think that you might do, or that you didn’t do in high school or at your previous institution.”

Kouakou shared information on Quinnipiac’s holistic career advising approach and resources available to students throughout their college careers. He said it’s normal to feel a little nervous during the first few weeks, and that faculty and staff welcome questions and requests for help from students at all times.

“We want to make sure that you know we’re here to support you,” said Kouakou.  

Students broke into groups led by pairs of orientation leaders there to answer questions, share their knowledge of campus life and getting involved outside of classes, and help build connections with innovative icebreaking games, fun first meals together and special gatherings.

As a new transfer student, Rebecca Parra ’28 of Norwalk, Connecticut, said she was looking forward to getting a lot out of orientation. She will be studying at the School of Business in its new building on the South Quad.

“I’m really excited to be here because Quinnipiac’s School of Business offers a lot of great opportunities, and I already have some friends here, so I’m excited to see them and to start my classes," Parra said.

Kristell Cardona ’29, a first-year student from Newtown, Connecticut, moved into her dorm room on the Mount Carmel Campus on August 20.

“I think orientation is going to help me to get to know the campus better and maybe meet some people,” said Cardona, who is also looking forward to studying at the School of Business.

“I’m very excited for the opportunities and internships that I’m going to be able to have,” Cardona said.

Kate Sheil '29 of Boston, Massachusetts, also moved into her new dorm room on the Mount Carmel Campus on August 20 and will study nursing at Quinnipiac.

“I chose Quinnipiac because it has a great School of Nursing program, and it’s beautiful here,” said Sheil. “I’m interested to see what I’ll get out of orientation.”

International student Samuel Varona, a native of Ecuador, is excited to be a part of the Quinnipiac community and to begin studying here as he also learns more about American culture.

“I actually visited Quinnipiac for my brother’s college tour about 10 years ago. Since I’ve been little, I knew I wanted to come here,” said Varona, who will study business analytics at the School of Business.

Varona arrived earlier in the week to gather with other new international students for events and programs hosted by Quinnipiac.

“I really liked doing that, but I’m also really excited about orientation and getting to meet the American kids. I want to get used to American culture, so I’m really interested in meeting people from here,” said Varona.