May 2024
Welcome to Dickinson!
There will be a lot for you to do in the upcoming weeks to prepare for your arrival on campus. Watch for weekly emails listing three things for you to do or know for that week. Those action items will also be posted here for reference.
QUESTIONS?
Reach out to orientation@dickinson.edu anytime if you have questions.
Three Things for May 8
1. Know your tools.
We’ll be directing you to some different and important tools and resources to prepare for your Dickinson experience. Here’s what you need to know:
- Email: You should have received (or will receive very soon!) instructions on accessing your new Dickinson email account. It’s key that you check this account often, as important information, including these weekly emails, will be sent only to that email address from this point forward. Contact helpdesk@dickinson.edu with any related questions.
- Navigate: A tool that will guide you on your academic path from Orientation through graduation. Download Navigate from your device’s app store. Search for Dickinson in the dropdown menu and log in with your Dickinson network login. For the desktop version, go to and log in with your Dickinson network login. Email orientation@dickinson.edu with any questions.
- : Our community portal, which provides secure access to certain forms, apps and information. Log in with your Dickinson username and password.
- Orientation Website: Check here for everything you need to know about your first few days on campus! Explore FAQs, register for our Pre-Orientation: Explore More programs, find information regarding advising and placement tests and more.
- : This is the home for all things related to campus calendar of events, clubs, student organizations and events. Learn more about the many opportunities Dickinson has to get involved.
- : Follow to stay connected to your classmates and the Dickinson community! Additional social media platforms are available at dickinson.edu/socialmedia.
2. Mark Your Calendars.
Review the important dates and deadlines in Navigate and keep track of ALL the ones that are important for you from now through move-in! We have highlighted a few here that are coming up quickly:
- May 31: If you will be seeking accommodation due to a disability, complete the Disability Disclosure & Accommodations Request form in Navigate. Learn more about accommodations on the Access & Disability Services website.
- June 3: Your First-Year Seminar Selection*, Emergency Contact Information, Media Relations Form, Phishing Emails & Malware training, among others, are due; you will find the list of forms and due dates in Navigate.
- June 3: Registration for Pre-Orientation: Explore More programs opens.
- July 1: Your Roommate Preference Form and health forms, among others are due. It is important that you and your family begin the process of getting your health forms collected, because you won’t be able to move in if we don’t have them in hand. So don’t wait until the last minute!
- August 25: Arrival for Pre-Orientation: Explore More participants and programs begin.
- August 26-28: International Student Arrivals
- August 28: Move-in day, and the start of your Orientation experience! Orientation is required for all new students (unless arriving earlier for pre-orientation)! Orientation is required for all new students.
*Detailed descriptions of each of the fall 2024 First-Year Seminars are available online. Note that the selection form is in Navigate.
3. Talk with your family about the "Helping Your Student Thrive" series.
Connect with your family members about our Helping Your Student Thrive Family Series, happening Wednesdays at noon (unless otherwise noted) on Zoom from May 22 through August 7! Topics cover everything from wellness, advising and finances to the residential experience, social opportunities and post-graduation success. Recordings will be made available on YouTube if you are unable to join live.
Three Things for May 15
1. Consider your housing options.
We know housing and roommate assignments are top of mind! Residence Life & Housing will be working to place you in your housing assignment in July, so make sure you submit your Roommate Preferences & Housing Assignment form before July 1. We anticipate that most of you will wait for the Office of Residence Life & Housing to match you with someone using the preferences you list on the form, but it is an option for you to request a roommate. Please keep in mind it is a request, and not a guarantee. Our webpage has lots of information, including details on our residential facilities. For more photos, check out our Flickr album.
2. Submit any disability accommodation requests by May 31.
Do you have an IEP, a 504 plan, or use accommodations (like extended time on tests)? Might you need any academic, dining, housing, or physical access accommodations at Dickinson? If so, go to the Access & Disability Services website for instructions on how to request accommodations documentation so that we can connect with you about your needs over the summer and make sure you’re all set for the fall.
If you're not sure about using accommodations at Dickinson or have any questions whatsoever, email access@dickinson.edu to or call 717-245-1734 to confidentially learn more.
3. Display your Red Devil pride.
Show your Dickinson spirit with our collection of party printables, yard signs, digital images and more! Access everything at dickinson.edu/dickinsondownloads. Share any pictures with us on social media using #dson2028 and be sure to follow the . We'll be posting important updates and content there over the next few months!
Three Things for May 22
1. Consider a Pre-Orientation: Explore More Program.
Pre-Orientation: Explore More programs are dynamic, interactive experiences for small groups of incoming first year and transfer students hosted by campus departments and student groups. Participants will arrive early for this three-day experience. Learn more and mark your calendar to register on June 3!
2. Begin your health forms.
The deadline to submit the required health forms to the Wellness Center is July 1, 2024. All required forms are completed through the . You must complete the online medical history form, complete the online TB Risk Assessment form, enter your immunization information and submit a copy of your health care provider's immunization record or the immunization record form signed by your health care provider.
Wellness Center staff are updating the Patient Portal with all health information received to date, so please check your health forms status to verify compliance by following the instructions below:
- Go to the and log in with the same username and password you use for email. You can also access the Patient Portal through Gateway and selecting the Pyramed tile.
- Click on the Immunizations tab, Immunization History to view your compliance status.
- Read any secure messages waiting for you and reply if you have any questions regarding the missing requirement(s).
For additional information, please refer to our Health Forms Guide.
Special Note for International Students: If a required immunization is unavailable in your home country, the Wellness Center will be in contact with you to schedule an appointment to receive the vaccine upon your arrival to Dickinson.
Remember: You won't be able to move into your residence hall if your health forms are not complete!
3. Share your thoughts.
You should have received an email recently inviting you to complete the Dickinson Admitted Student Survey. Please take a few minutes to complete this survey, which provides us with valuable information regarding your college-search experience!
Three Things for May 29
1. Complete your June 3 forms ASAP!
June 3 is quickly approaching, so if you've been putting off , now is the time! It's important that all forms are completed on time so we can ensure you are ready to start your Dickinson experience as soon as you arrive on campus. (There’s an “if needed” accommodation request form due May 31, and there's no need to wait until the end of June to work on those July 1 forms—the sooner you complete them, the better!)
Following are the forms that need to be completed by June 3:
- Area of Academic Interest Survey
- Emergency Contact Information
- First Year Seminar Selection Form
- Media Relations Form
- Religious, Secular and Spiritual Preference Form
- Phishing Emails & Malware Training
2. Register your pronouns.
At Dickinson, students and employees can register their pronouns online, making pronoun information available to your professors, advisors and other staff on campus. This tool allows us all to integrate the inclusive use of pronouns into our everyday practices, and we encourage you to register online before you arrive on campus.
Registering your pronouns online is easy! Simply look for the “to do” in Navigate - “College Pronoun Registration & College Name Registration.” For more information, check out the FAQ, which includes a list of where this information is shared on campus. Visit the LGBTQ Center webpage to learn more about the inclusive use of pronouns.
3. Submit your ID photo.
The ID Office of Dining Services is pleased to welcome you to Dickinson! Before arriving on campus, you can submit a photo to be used for your future Dickinson ID card. The card will be needed to access your residence hall, the dining hall, the library, the Kline Center and other facilities on campus that are controlled via card access. Please be aware that your photo should be suitable for a passport or a state ID, no use of AI generated photos. If the photo does not meet our requirements, it will be rejected. You can submit a photo through the . If you choose not to send a photo in for your ID card, you may visit the ID office when you arrive on campus to have your photo taken. If you have questions, please contact 717-245-1318. Deadline to submit photos for ID cards: August 7, 2024.