Emerson welcomes Class of 2015

Emerson welcomes more than 900 new undergraduates to campus this week for Orientation 2011: Unleash Your Pride. Orientation leaders will greet the students and their families curbside in typical Emerson style, with music, singing, and dancing, as they arrive to move into the residences.

“We want to engage students and their families with the school’s creative, collaborative culture right from the start,” says Associate Dean of Students Sharon Duffy, who coordinates the work of the Orientation leaders as well as a week of orientation activities to help acclimate students to the campus. “Emerson’s unique move-in day is a wonderful tradition. I have students who sign up every year to participate as Orientation leaders.”

More than 150 Emerson students volunteer to be Orientation leaders and train to be a part of the team. As the new undergraduates arrive on campus, teams of Orientation leaders sing and perform synchronized dances, chant the students’ names, help them unload their cars, and escort them to their rooms.

Once the new students are moved in, they participate in an Orientation packed with activities. This year’s schedule includes performances by Boston’s Improv Asylum and David Coleman, “The Dating Doctor,” the annual OL dance, and several essential events, such as open houses at various campus locations and academic department meetings.

Emerson’s Orientation program helps students connect with their peers and familiarize themselves with the campus. It also introduces them to campus culture and exposes them to co-curricular and extracurricular opportunities.

The Emerson community is invited to participate in all of the excitement of Orientation online and through social media. Connect with students and Orientation team leaders through Twitter and Facebook and follow the conversation by using the hashtag #ECWelcome on Twitter. Watch video of move-in day activities on Emerson Live, and even submit your own photographs to be featured on the website and/or Emerson social media to pics@emerson.edu.

Want to catch up on some of the orientation excitement? We've collected some of today's #ECWelcome tweets, photos, and videos below.

View “Emerson College Move-In and Orientation 2011” on Storify