WYOMISSING, Pa. — Penn State Berks will welcome approximately 250 first-year students to its residential community as part of the college’s Welcome Weekend program, which will be held from Aug. 20 through Aug. 23. First-year students move into the residence halls on Aug. 20, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Students are advised to refer to the campus map for move-in directions.) Returning students move in Sunday, Aug. 23.
Welcome Weekend is designed to help first-year, transfer and change-of-campus students feel comfortable at Penn State Berks before the fall semester begins. The weekend includes five different educational sessions on such topics as: understanding artificial intelligence (AI), accessing counseling services and resources, preventing sexual violence, communicating during conflict, and abstaining from alcohol use. There will also be a full schedule of activities, games, shared meals and opportunities to connect with other new students.
Thursday, Aug. 20
Residential students will bid farewell to family and friends at an ice cream social from 3 to 4 p.m. on Aug. 20, held at the Alumni Pavilion. Then they will attend Residence Life floor meetings, followed by dinner at Tully’s, the campus cafeteria. The day concludes with the official Welcome Weekend Kick-off, held from 6 to 9 p.m., which will include various activities and games.
Friday, Aug. 21
Chancellor Radha Pyati will officially welcome students to campus on Friday, Aug. 21, at 9:45 a.m., followed by a “Be a Part from the Start” workshop at 10 a.m., where students will learn how they can get involved on campus while participating in team-building games and activities. Then students will attend the first educational session titled “A Conversation to End Sexual Violence” with Bonny Shade, a professional speaker and researcher on campus-based sexual violence, from 11 a.m. to noon.
Then students will then break into their first-year seminar (FYS) groups and have lunch with their professors at 12:30 p.m. First-year seminars are a required course that helps new students transition to college. This will be followed by a campus scavenger hunt at 1:30 p.m.
Later in the afternoon, students will attend two educational sessions: one presented by Counseling Services at 2:40 p.m., which will provide guidance on finding support and resources, and one on communicating effectively during a conflict at 3:50 p.m. in the Perkins Student Center Auditorium, which will be presented by Michael Miller, corporate and educational leadership speaker.
A commuter student social will be held in the Perkins Student Center Multipurpose Room and residential students will have dinner at Tully’s at 5 p.m. The day will conclude with a Welcome Weekend Carnival beginning at 6 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 22
Students will enjoy breakfast, followed by the fourth educational session on collegiate empowerment at 10 a.m. in the Perkins Student Center Auditorium, designed to help students clarify their values concerning alcohol use and to watch out for their fellow students.
Then students will learn about AI through an interactive session, presented by Sadan Kulturel-Konak, professor of management information systems, and Abdullah Konak, distinguished professor of information sciences and technology. The session will begin at 10:55 a.m. in the Perkins Student Center Auditorium, and it will explore how AI is shaping careers. Students will learn prompting using Socratic dialogue and learn about Penn State's AI policies for students.
These sessions will be followed by lunch and an alumni ice cream social. The day will conclude with trivia games in the Perkins Student Center Auditorium, Residence Life floor meetings, dinner at Tully’s and a movie in the Perkins Student Center Auditorium.
Sunday, Aug. 23
Students will take a tour of the campus to learn where their classes will be held, and those who might need to pick up essentials can be transported to Target on Paper Mill Road.
At noon, a first-generation student lunch will be held in the Perkins Student Center Multipurpose Room. The purpose of the lunch is for first-generation students to become more comfortable with the transition to college and to build community with other first-generation students, faculty and staff.
The day will conclude with an ice cream social for transfer and change-of-campus students at 1 p.m. in the Lion’s Den, and an Honors Program Orientation at 2 p.m. in Room 120, Perkins Student Center.
The Penn State Berks Welcome Weekend Program is staffed by first-year mentors and other members of the college community. It is funded by the Penn State Berks Student Initiated Fee and sponsored by Office of Student Engagement and Leadership.
Most events will be held under the tent on the Perkins Student Center lawn, unless otherwise noted. For more information on sessions, times and locations, visit the Welcome Weekend website, or email the Office of Student Affairs at bkstudentaffairs@psu.edu.