Laker Launch

9:00am - 4:00pm: New Student Move-In (Residence Halls)

Students who live on campus will move into their residence halls! Sign up for your move-in time at: https://oswego.datacenter.adirondacksolutions.com/oswego_thdss_prod/splash

4:45pm - 5:45pm: Faculty Mixers (Various Locations)

Join us for our Faculty Mixers, a chance to meet your faculty and build connections that will last throughout your time at SUNY Oswego.

5:00pm - 6:45pm: Opening Picnic (Parking Lot E-31)

The annual Opening Picnic welcomes students, faculty, and staff to another year at SUNY Oswego. Hosted by Auxiliary Services, the picnic features a variety of summer picnic foods, a live DJ, and ice cream novelties.

7:00pm - 8:00pm: Residence Hall Floor Meetings

Residential Students will return to their residence halls to connect with their Residential Student Staff (RSS) and learn more about their time in residence at Oswego, including expectations, fire safety, and an overview of community at Oswego. 

7:00pm - 8:00pm: Commuter Connections

Commuters are invited to join us for Commuter Connections! Come connect with fellow commuters and hear from professional staff who support our off-campus students to learn how we support you.  

8:15pm - 9:00pm: Torchlight Ceremony (Deborah F. Stanley Arena & Convocation Hall)

This ceremony is an honored tradition during which faculty, staff and current students pass the flame of the Torch of Learning to all new undergraduate, transfer and graduate students — to welcome them into SUNY Oswego's academic community.  

7:30am - 8:45am: Breakfast 

Meals are available at Cooper, Lakeside, and Pathfinder Dining Centers. Use the map above if you need help finding your way around campus!

7:00am - 8:45am: Cooper Fitness Center Hours

The Fitness Centers will be open for recreation for incoming students.

8:00am - 8:45am: OPTIONAL Campus Tours

Orientation Student Staff will take new students around campus in structured tours leaving each dining hall in the morning and ending at the first session of the day.

Tour locations: Cooper Dining Center, Lakeside Dining Center, Pathfinder Dining Center

9:00am - 11:00am: Opening Remarks & Resource Rotations (Deborah F. Stanley Arena & Convcation Hall)

The first full day of Laker Launch begins with an overview of the schedule, expectations of students, and a general welcome to SUNY Oswego. Come learn more about your time here at Oswego!

Title IX, Fire Safety, & Small Group: Lakers will be sorted into their small groups with their Laker Launch Crewmates, connecting and overviewing their schedule of the day.

11:00am - 1:30pm: Taste of Oswego (Lot E-31) / Paint the Road (MCC Bus Loop) / Small Group Time (with Laker Launch Crewmate)

Rotations will be led by your Laker Launch Crewmate from 11:00am - 1:30pm.

Taste of Oswego:  The Taste of Oswego returns for 2024! This food vendor fair of local restaurants is designed to orient our newest students on what establishments exist in Oswego and where the can find food they like. Students are given meal tickets to patronize three vendors of their choosing for their lunch option. SOFE will sponsor the first 100 faculty/staff to request tickets during this event to allow them to partake and mingle with students.

Paint the Road:  Paint the Road continues in its third year as we invite new students, faculty, and staff to paint the Marano Campus Center Bus Loop Green. Sponsored by Facilities Services, this program allows students to make their mark on their campus and leave a lasting impression they can see all year long. Faculty and Staff are encouraged to come and leave their mark as well!

Small Group:  Lakers will have a chance to connect with their small group via their Launch Crewmate who will lead the group in icebreakers and "get to know you" exercises. Groups are made up of students in the same residence hall (residential students) or common commuters, and so these connections will be vital for helping start initial community building.

1:30pm - 2:00pm: "O" Photo with the 2028 Class (Lee Hall Soccer Field)

Students will be invited to participate in our second "O" photo, taking place on the Lee Hall Fields. Students will recieve a white t-shirt, distributed by our President's Cabinet members, and will be arranged in the shape of a giant "O" for an aerial photo. Faculty and Staff are invited to participate and will be given t-shirts which will be worn to "outline" the O.

2:00pm - 3:00pm: Student Employment Fair (Arena Upper Concourse)

Offices from all across campus will be present to advertise for student employment positions they have available for incoming students.

3:00pm - 4:00pm: ORI Discussion (MCC 114)

The Oswego Reading Intiative Committee will host a discussion about the ORI book selection for Summer 2024 for students who are interested. The event will include light refreshments and will be a chance for faculty and students to connect and discuss the mutual reading they completed.

4:00pm - 6:30pm: Dinner (On Your Own)

Meals are available at Cooper, Lakeside, and Pathfinder Dining Centers. Use the map above if you need help finding your way around campus!

6:00pm - 8:00pm: Rec the Night (Lee Hall & Fields)

Campus Recreation presents Rec the Night, a night of fun, fitness, and entertainment! Hosted in Lee Hall and the surrounding fields, Rec the Night features a number of interactive activities and engaging competitions to welcome our newest Lakers to what Campus Rec has to offer.

8:00pm - 10:00pm: Outdoor Movie (Lee Hall Field)

Campus Recreation presents Rec the Night, a night of fun, fitness, and entertainment! Hosted in Lee Hall and the surrounding fields, Rec the Night features a number of interactive activities and engaging competitions to welcome our newest Lakers to what Campus Rec has to offer.

7:30am - 8:45am: Breakfast 

Meals are available at Cooper, Lakeside, and Pathfinder Dining Centers. Use the map above if you need help finding your way around campus!

7:00am - 8:45am: Cooper Fitness Center Hours

The Fitness Centers will be open for recreation for incoming students.

8:00am - 8:45am: OPTIONAL Campus Tours

Orientation Student Staff will take new students around campus in structured tours leaving each dining hall in the morning and ending at the first session of the day.

9:00am - 12:30pm: Breakout Sessions 

Academic Readiness:  Many of our Lakers just finished high school and have heard many things about the difference between secondary and higher education - but are they truly aware of what separates this new educational journey? Dean Laura Spenceley of the School of Education hosts this breakout session on what makes higher education different, and preparing students for the rigor and responsibility of the Oswego classroom.

Bias Response & Reporting:  The Office of the Dean of Students provides information about campus resources such as the Oz Concern Navigator and the Behavioral Intervention Team that can help you understand your impact as a student. 

Mental Health & You:  SUNY Oswego may be for many of our students the first time they have access to mental health services on a regular basis, but many of our students don't feel comfortable accessing these services when they really need it. Director of Counseling Services Lynn Braun presents this breakout session breaking down stigma of accessing services and dispelling common myths about mental health care in general.

12:30pm - 2:00pm: Lunch / Small Group (Various Locations)

2:00pm - 3:00pm: Advisor Meetings

One of the best parts of being a Laker is the network of academic advisors and mentors that can help you succeed on campus. During this session, Laker Launchcrew will lead students to their advisors. 

3:00pm - 4:00pm: Accessibility Workshop (MCC 114)

Hayden Kristal, a comedian and public speaker on topics of accessibility and intersectionality, will offer a hour long interactive workshop for students, faculty, and staff to share their experiences and impart wisdom for working with students who may share similar identities.

4:00pm - 6:00pm: Dinner (On Your Own)

Meals are available at Cooper, Lakeside, and Pathfinder Dining Centers. Use the map above if you need help finding your way around campus!

5:00pm - 8:00pm: Cooper Fitness Center & Lee Hall Hours

The Fitness Centers & Lee Hall will be open for recreation for incoming students.

7:00pm - 8:30pm: Comedy Show (Waterman Theatre)

Hayden Krystal will perform their standup comedy for students in Waterman Theatre. Hayden was a semifinalist for Stand Up NBC, a finalist for Full Frontal with Samantha Bee’s Comedy Writing Mentorship, and has opened and featured for Maria Bamford.

8:30pm - 10:30m: Silent Disco (Hewitt Quad) / Board Games & Vision Boards (MCC Food Court)

Back by popular demand is the Silent Disco, a live music and dancing event held outside at the sundial. Lakers will don special headphones and can alternate between two live dj's who will perform for two hours outside encouraging students to let loose and have fun!

Board Games & Visions Boards: 

For students who aren't as interested in dancing the night away, two activities will be available indoors: Career Services invites students to create vision boards to inspire themselves throughout their year at Oswego. Also, SOFE will host a board game night for students to connect in games and activities.

9:00am - 1:00pm: Brunch (On Your Own)

Meals are available at Cooper, Lakeside, and Pathfinder Dining Centers. Use the map above if you need help finding your way around campus!

10:00am - 12:00pm: Oswego Serves (Deborah F. Stanley Arena & Convocation Hall)

Our tradition of new students participating in service opportunities continues with Oswego Serves, a Day-of-Service happening in our Opening Week. With opportunities such as Oswego County Opportunities, Rice Creek, and more - Oswego is excited to work with our newest students to give back to the community and campus.

12:00pm - 2:00pm: Candy Bar Bingo (Deborah F. Stanley Arena & Convocation Hall)

Students are invited to join us in the MCC Arena for Candy Bar Bingo, a game of Bingo where winners will get to select a King-Sized candy bar every time they win!

1:00pm - 2:00pm: Men's Soccer (Laker Hall Fields)

2:30pm - 4:00pm: Explore as you Go! (list below)

Across campus, a variety of activities and experiences will be available for participation, including but not limited to: Board Games, Coloring, Volleyball Tournament, Therapy Animals, the Wild Animal Park live animal shows, Roller skating, Walking to Bev's, and Live Trivia!

4:30pm - 6:30pm: Dinner (On Your Own)

Meals are available at Cooper, Lakeside, and Pathfinder Dining Centers. Use the map above if you need help finding your way around campus!

5:00pm - 8:00pm: Cooper Fitness Center & Lee Hall Hours

6:30pm - 8:00pm: Drag Show (Waterman Theatre)

Join us for a live Drag Show in Waterman Theatre hosted by Ru-Paul's Drag Race contestant Thorgy Thor (Season 8)! Join Thorgy and Three other queens, Cake Pop, Crimsyn, & Fawna as they bring down the house here at Oswego.

8:00pm - 10:00pm: MCC Takeover (Marano Campus Center)

MCC Takeover returns this year and is more engaging than ever - with activities such as Tye-Dye T-shirts, Trivia Night, Glow in the Dark Lasertag, Massage Therapists, Make and Takes, Free Food, and More!

9:00am - 3:00pm: Academic Classroom Tours 

Launch Crew will offer tours of academic classrooms, customizing their path based on what students arrive to help them discover where their classes are located. Each tour will leave every half hour, leaving from the Marano Campus Center Welcome Desk.