New Student Welcome Week Schedule

Questions? Contact Student Engagement & Events in the Student Center or at 320-589-6080.

This schedule is subject to change. 

Welcome Week, August 19–23, 2026

First Year Students arrive
Residence Hall Move-In
Individual Residence Halls
One Stop Office Open
Behmler Hall

Stop by the One Stop for expert advice regarding 

  • financial aid,
  • billing,
  • payment,
  • student employment,
  • registration,
  • student records, and
  • veterans benefits.
NASS Extended Welcome Activities
Student Center: Oyate Hall
  • Welcome brunch - students and families 10:30 a.m. to noon
  • Welcome Activities Noon to 1:30 p.m.
     
Welcome Brunch
Dining Hall

Provided for students & families - stop in any time

Families of Student Athletes
Cougar Sports Center, Dacotah Deck

Is your student an athlete at Morris?  Please come to this reception with the athletics staff.  This is a great time to connect with other friends and families of student athletes and show your support for the Cougars! 

Students Gather with Welcome Groups
Floor Lounges (RFC if rain)

Students gather with Welcome Groups for the Welcome Program, then march to HFA.
 

New Student & Family Welcome!
Campus Mall (rain site: Student Center, Edson Auditorium)

The UMN Morris official welcome to the Class of 2029 and all new students! A university tradition, this event is a celebration of the University community, school pride, and our spirit of academic excellence. You will hear from UMN Morris Chancellor Michael Rodriguez and  Morris Campus Student Association President Landon Shaw.. Welcome the class with a Native American honor song, and meet the Welcome Week Group Leaders.

Family Reception & Chat with the Chancellor
Student Center, TMC

This informal reception will provide opportunity for Family and Friends to connect with faculty, staff and administrators at the University.  The Chancellor and other leaders will be available to answer questions and talk about the Morris experience. 

Welcome Group Meeting 1
Floor Lounges

New Students will have a meeting with their group leader each day to talk through key content related to Welcome Week and the first year experience.  This first meeting is extremely important as students will receive their personalized schedule for all of Welcome week and talk about expectations for the week.

Welcome Picnic
Tug Lake (by the Dining Hall)

Family reconnections & bon voyage  Join us for a picnic!  This event will bring students and their families & friends back together and provide an opportunity for goodbyes, at least until Family Weekend!

Unpack and Settle in
Individual Residence Halls
Residential Life Policy Meeting
Specific Halls
First Year Carnival
Campus Mall

All first-year and new students are invited! Come meet other students while playing carnival games, winning prizes, and enjoying carnival food and drinks!

Breakfast
Dining Hall
Welcome Group Meeting 2
Assigned Room/ Res Hall lounge
Understanding of Place: the Native American Traditions and History of UMN Morris
Student Center, Edson Auditorium

This presentation will be an informative session teaching you about the history of the present site of UMN Morris as a Native American boarding school and how the university has become a Native American Serving Nontribal Institution (NASNTI). The session will take students back in time but also bring students forward into the present and on into the future.

Lunch with your Welcome Group
Dining Hall
Campus Job and Resource Fair
Student Center, Oyate Hall

The campus job and resource fair is a great opportunity for students to talk with staff members about programs and services offered on the campus as well as look for work study positions.

Optional: LGBTQIA2S+ Orientation
Student Center Moccasin Flower Room

The LGBTQIA2S+ Orientation session is a great place to connect with other LGBTQIA2S+ students, as well as learn more about resources available to students, both on campus and off. This session is open to everyone.

New Student Connections
Campus Mall

An interactive program building the essential skills needed to meet others and begin making new friendships in college.

First Year Student Athlete Meeting
Student Center, Edson Auditorium
Dinner with Floor
Individual Residence Halls
  • 5:00 pm - Pine & Spooner Halls
  • 6:00 pm - David C. Johnson Independence Hall 
Welcome Staff Meeting
Student Center, Louie’s
First Year Student Athlete Cookout
Behind Cougar Sports Center

Coaches will bring teams to the Sex Rules Presentation

Sex Rules
Student Center,Oyate Hall

Sex Rules is a program to help students navigate intimacy.  It’s about navigating relationships with self and others.  It’s about empathy, boundaries, self expression, healing, resilience, listening, communication and connection.  It’s about investing in your emotional, physical and mental health and wellbeing.  Sex Rules takes a big-picture approach to the often-charged topic, offering a refreshing new way to have an age old conversation.  

Breakfast
Dining Hall
Library Sessions, scheduled by Welcome Group
Briggs Library

Library Sessions - scheduled by Welcome Group
Briggs Library may be one of the most important resources on campus.  This program provides a basic introduction to the library to help you be prepared to dive deeper into the library in the future.  
 

Transfer Welcome
Briggs Library, Student Success Center
Welcome Group Meeting 3
Assigned Rm/Res Hall Lounge
Pro-Tips from Profs
Student Center, Edson Auditorium

The panel will share perspectives from professors, tips about how to connect with your instructors, advisors, and engage with campus resources.

Lunch – scheduled with Welcome Group
Dining Hall
Transfer Lunch
Student Center, TMC/Qdoba
Academic Adviser Meetings
Faculty Office or Designated Room

This informal meeting serves as an initial introduction to your adviser and advising at Morris. Your advisor will tell you a bit about themselves, explain what the academic advisor’s role is at Morris and see if you have any questions about your fall schedule or other things that are on your mind. Our advisors are all individuals and do things differently, much like Morris students!

Summer Research Showcase
Student Center

The Summer Research Showcase is a small-scale celebration of undergraduate research conducted over the summer. The campus community is invited to interact with posters presented by students as a way to learn about opportunities to do paid undergraduate research.

Library Sessions, scheduled by Welcome Group
Briggs Library

Briggs library may be one of the most important resources on campus.  This program provides a basic introduction to the library to help you be prepared to dive deeper into the library in the future.

Music Ensembles and Piano Placement
Multiple

We welcome all students, whatever their experience, to take part in a music ensemble and/or lessons (“Individual Performance Studies”). If you are unsure of your suitability or simply want to find out more please sign-up for an audition time to come and chat with one of the music directors.

  • 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm Choir Placement Auditions HFA 170.
  • 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm Woodwind, Brass, Strings, and Percussion Placement Auditions HFA 180.
  • 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm Jazz and Commercial Music Placement Auditions HFA 082.
  • 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm Piano Placement HFA 064.

Placement Audition sign-up sheets for all ensembles are posted on the bulletin board between HFA 170 and 180. For piano placements go directly to HFA 064.
For information about all our ensembles and placement 

Dinner with Floor
Individual Residence Halls
  • 5:00 pm - Pine & Spooner Halls
  • 6:00 pm - David C. Johnson Independence Hall
Extravaganza
Student Center, Edson Auditorium

The Extravaganza is a skit show performed by the Welcome Group Leaders and Community Advisors that teaches valuable lessons about the Morris student experience that all first year students should learn.  

Welcome Group Meeting 4
Assigned RM/ Residence Hall Lounge
Brunch
Dining Hall
Block Sessions Scheduled by Group
Multiple

Intercultural Communication Skills - this program aims to introduce folks to the diversity of UMN Morris, while creating community. The session will offer tools to help talk to each other across differences.


Student Engagement and Voting - Student engagement is a hallmark of the Morris campus and is important to student success. This session will help students understand how to get involved in student organizations on campus, as well as introduce the importance of voter engagement and help students register to vote for the first time. 


Living Green @ Morris - Learn more about why UMN Morris is one of the most sustainable campuses in the United States. This quick "green tour" will take you to some of our favorite sites, including our wind turbines (Bert and Ernie), solar agrivoltaic field, and more!
 

Welcome Staff Meeting
Student Center, Louie’s Lower Level
Morris Community Welcome Picnic
East Side Park

Learn about local businesses and meet the Morris community at this welcome picnic in East Side Park.

Free Movie
Morris Theatre
Brunch
Dining Hall
Beyond Wellbeing: Thriving at Morris
Student Center, Edson Auditorium

This session introduces a number of wellbeing activities students can put into practice to help manage the stress they may experience from being in a new environment and taking on new challenges. This session will also introduce a number of key resource areas on the Morris campus to assist students in addressing their physical and mental health needs.

Activities and Engagement Fair
Campus Mall (Student Center if poor weather)

This is your big chance to connect with the many student student organizations on the Morris campus.  All groups will be tabling at this event to recruit members.  Sign up for any groups you are interested in and start the journey to find your place on campus.

Drop in Schedule Changes
Briggs Library, Student Success Center