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.

5:00pm - 6:00pm: 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:

• College of Business and Entrepreneurship - TBD
• College of Communication, Media, and the Arts - TBD
• College of Education, Health, and Human Services - TBD
• College of Liberal Arts, Sciences, and Engineering - TBD

5:00pm - 7:00pm: Paint the Road (MCC Bus Loop)

We'll have some fun lawn games out and work together to paint the road green. Join us as we leave our mark on SUNY Oswego!

4:30pm - 7:00pm: 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 / Commuter Connections

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. 

Commuters are invited to join us in the Laker Lounge 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.  

8:30pm - 9:15pm: 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.  

9:15pm - 9:45pm: Take-a-Craft (Outside Deborah F. Stanley Arena & Convocation Hall)

Bring a craft back to your dorm room with you, and wind down the night creating something fun in your new home!

7:00am - 8:30am: Fitness Center Hours

The Cooper Fitness Center will be open for recreation for our students.

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!

9:00am - 10:30am: Opening Remarks and Education Sessions (Deborah F. Stanley Arena & Convocation Hall)

The first full day of Laker Launch begins with an overview of the schedule, expectations of students, the rights you have as a student under Title VI and Title IX, and a general welcome to SUNY Oswego. Come learn more about your time here at Oswego.

10:30am - 10:45am: "O Photo" (Hewitt/MCC Quad)

Students will be invited to participate in our second "O" photo, and will receive 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.

10:45am - 11:00am: Small Groups (Various Locations)

After the O-photo, will break up into smaller groups so you can make some connections. It's a great time to meet some new people and have fun!

11:00am - 2:00pm: Taste of Oswego (Lot E-31) | Small Groups/Campus Resource Fair (Hewitt Ballroom) | Your Academic Experience (Deborah F. Stanley Arena & Convocation Hall)

Rotations will be led by your Laker Launch Crewmate from 11:00am - 2:00pm.

Taste of Oswego:  The Taste of Oswego returns for 2026! 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.

Small Group/Campus Resource Fair: Students are invited to attend a Campus Resource Fair to learn more about employment, volunteer, and engagement opportunities on campus. You'll have a chance to get to know some of the people you'll be living and working with for the next four years. As a group, you'll get the chance to discover the the people and ways that SUNY Oswego supports its students.

Your Academic Experience:  Hear from a College Dean about all the things you can expect academically over the next four years!

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!

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 - 10:30pm: Outdoor Movie Night (Lee Hall Field)

Enjoy the late summer weather and join us for a movie on the field. (If it rains, we'll move it into the MCC Arena).

7:30am - 9:00am: Breakfast 

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: Service Project (TBD)

Kick off your time here at Oswego by helping to make our community better!

12:00pm - 1:00pm: Lunch

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

1:00pm - 4:00pm: Oswego Quadfest (Hewitt Quad)

The Hewitt Quad will be full of fun games, activities, and crafts for students to do. Feel free to pick and choose what speaks to you!

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

6:00pm - 8:30pm: Comedy Showcase (Waterman Theatre)

We're bringing some comedy to SUNY Oswego! We'll have a few comics with us, so come to the one that works for you. Bring a new friend or your roommate to share some laughs and have some fun!

8:00pm - 10:00pm: Board Games & Vision Boards (Laker Landing)

You won't be "board!" (Don't worry, we're not the comedians for the comedy show.) Join us for some games, and create something that'll help you keep your vision for college front and center as classes begin!

8:30pm - 10:00pm: Silent Disco (Parking Lot E-31)

Get ready to dance the night away! We'll be enjoying the summer night and dancing to our favorite tunes!

9:00am - 4:00pm: Academic Classroom Tours (MCC Welcome Desk)

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.

12:00pm - 4:00pm: Rice Creek Shuttle (MCC Welcome Desk)

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.

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