First-Year Experience

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In This Section
Welcome to the neighborhood!
Welcome to your first year at Saint Vincent! Our freshman year experience is designed to help you start strong and feel at home from day one. Here, you'll discover our freshman orientation programs, essential move-in day details, residence hall and commuter arrangements, and valuable academic resources. Be sure to check out the Accepted Student page for important information about registering, depositing, and connecting with us.
Student Life
Starting Strong at Freshmen Orientation
Welcome Weekend kicks off the extended orientation experience, which continues for the first 5-6 weeks of the semester with events specifically for first-year students. These activities provide a safe space for students to grow their knowledge and friendships, offering numerous opportunities to find friends, make new memories, and cement connections. Our student government led Activities Programming Board also hosts campus wide activities and events the first few weeks of school for upperclassmen and freshmen to interact and get acquainted. Additionally, the Big/Little program pairs incoming students with Orientation Committee members who serve as mentors. This initiative helps new students feel welcome and supported both before they arrive on campus and throughout their first semester.
Orientation program features:
• Become a Bearcat Day in the spring
• New Student Orientation in the summer
• Welcome Weekend before classes start
• Five weeks of social and academic support during the first semester
Move-In Day and Welcome Weekend
Friday, August 22 through Sunday, August 24, 2025
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Welcome Weekend Schedule - Fall 2025
Friday, August 22
8:00 am - 11:30 am, Residence Hall Move-In, Saint Benedict Hall
1:00 pm - 2:30 pm, Commuter Check-In, Citrone Family Commuter Lounge
2:30 pm – 3:00 pm, Wimmer’s Welcome, In front of Basilica
3:00 pm - 4:00 pm, Welcome Mass, Basilica
4:00 pm - 6:00 pm, Welcome Picnic
6:00 pm – 6:30 pm, Family Farewells
6:30 pm, Meet your Prefect, Your Saint Benedict Hall Pod, ATTENDANCE REQUIRED
8:00 pm, New Student Orientation Meeting, Carey Performing Arts Center, ATTENDANCE REQUIRED
- This mandatory meeting is for all freshmen resident and commuter students. Students will receive the Rule of Saint Benedict from Archabbot Martin de Porres Bartel and Father Paul Taylor.
9:00 pm - 11:00 pm, Welcome Social & Bonfire, Saint Benedict Hall
Saturday, August 23
8:00 am – 9:00 am, Commuter Student Breakfast and Social, Faculty Dining Room/Commuter Lounge, ATTENDANCE REQUIRED
8:00 am - 9:00 am, Optional Breakfast, Community Center
9:45 am - 11:30 am, Information Sessions, Carey Performing Arts Center, ATTENDANCE REQUIRED
- 9:50 am, What is a Catholic, Benedictine College?
- 10:10 am, Academic Affairs Policies & Procedures
- 10:30 am, Alcohol, Drugs and the College Experience
11:30 am – 1:00 pm, Lunch, Community Center
Information Sessions, Carey Performing Arts Center, ATTENDANCE REQUIRED
- 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm, Title IX and Campus Safety
- 2:00 pm – 2:10 pm, Community Standards
- 2:10 pm – 2:30 pm, Personal Safety & Wellness
4:00 pm – 6:00 pm, Dinner, Community Center
6:00 pm - 6:45 pm, Class of 2029 Photograph, Carey Gymnasium, ATTENDANCE REQUIRED
- Wear your Graffiti Dance Party Shirt for the photograph.
8:30 pm – 11:00 pm, Graffiti Dance Party, Baseball Field
- Get your marker when you wear the shirt that you received in your Welcome Bag to the dance!
Sunday, August 24
9:00 am – 11:00 am, Tour of Campus with your Big
11:00 am – 1:00 pm, Brunch with your Big, Community Center
1:00 pm - 2:15 pm, Hired! Carey Performing Arts Center, ATTENDANCE REQUIRED
2:15 pm – 4:30 pm, Scavenger Hunt with Pod, Performing Arts Center, ATTENDANCE REQUIRED
4:30 pm, Mass, Mary Mother of Wisdom Chapel
7:00 pm, Mass, Mary Mother of Wisdom Chapel
9:30 pm, Mass, Mary Mother of Wisdom Chapel -
Freshmen Residence Hall Move-In Times- August 22, 2025
First-year residential students may arrive on campus at the following designated arrival times. Your pod is shown in your room number. Example: B405 is in Pod 4B, D302 is in Pod 3D.
- 5th Floor 7:45 am – 8:15 am
- 4th Floor 8:15 am – 9:00 am
- 3rd Floor 9:00 am – 9:45 am
- 2nd Floor 9:45 am – 10:15 am
- 1st Floor 10:15 am – 10:45 am
- Late Move-In 10:45 am – 11:15 am
Click here to download the Freshmen Move-In Informational Flyer
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Move-In Instructions
Label Your Belongings
- Due to the amount of luggage that will be unloaded in one area, it is crucial that ALL belongings are marked with the student’s name and residence hall room number (this includes the Pod letter and room number (e.g. C209). Please label all belongings in a prominent location prior to arrival.
- If you arrive with unlabeled belongings, you will be asked to step out of the line and label belongings prior to continuing to move in.
Arrival
- Residential students will be directed to the Welcome Area in Parking Lot A near the Fred Rogers Center after arriving on campus, where student ID cards and Residence Hall room keys will be distributed.
- Residence Life and Orientation Staff will then direct cars to Saint Benedict Hall for unloading.
- Please keep your party’s cars together when entering the parking lot. If a car in your party is running behind, please pull over in a separate lot or area and wait for their arrival prior to entering Parking Lot A.
Unloading
- After being directed to the unloading areas, Orientation committee members will unload vehicles and assist in transporting all belongings to residence hall rooms.
- The driver of the vehicle should remain with the vehicle at all times.
- Please move vehicles immediately after unloading in order to allow other vehicles to unload easily. The Orientation Committee will direct vehicles to the parking locations in Parking Lot R. Handicapped parking will be available after move-in has concluded, but passenger drop off in the handicapped parking zone will be permitted during move-in as needed.
- No bed bunking will be permitted in Saint Benedict Hall
Extra Late Arrivals
Resident students who arrive after the scheduled Late Move-In time, which concludes at 11:15 a.m., should proceed directly to Saint Benedict Hall and seek out their Prefect with Residence Life who will check them in individually. After 11:15 a.m., the Orientation Welcome Tent and assistance with move-in will not be available.
Early Arrivals
- Freshman resident students are invited to move items into the residence halls on Thursday, August 21, from 6-8 pm only.
- When you arrive on campus, vehicles may be parked in Parking Lot Q, located behind Saint Benedict Hall. This period is for item drop off only. Keys, IDs, and other materials will not be distributed, and Orientation and Residence Life staff are unable to allow students to unpack any items. Students do not need to register for item drop off.
- Students may not remain in the building overnight. When you return to campus the next day, please process through the Welcome Tent to receive keys and IDs.
Orientation Assistance Station
An Orientation Assistance Station and other resources will be available in the lobby of Saint Benedict Hall for your convenience.
Parking Permits
To request a parking permit, please sign up on the Public Safety page on the MySV Portal. Students are required to display their permit. Cars without permits will be ticketed during the first week of classes.
Orientation Committee
Residence Life Office
Alfred Hall, 1st Floor
Phone: 724-805-2567
Email: studentaffairs@stvincent.edu -
Commuter Check-In - August 22, 2025
Click here for printable information about Commuter Check-In
When should I arrive?
Please arrive to Check-In on Friday, August 22 from 1-2:30 p.m.Where should I go?
Commuter students should park in Parking Lot A near the Fred Rogers Center, then proceed directly to the Citrone Family Commuter Center, located in Placid Hall near the Post Office and Community Center Dining Room.What can I expect to receive at Check-In?
This is where you will receive your student ID card, important first-year student information, and Welcome Weekend packets. You will also meet other Commuters and start to build your new home on campus.Do I have to attend Check-In?
Check-In is mandatory, as are the other events of the weekend.How do I get my parking permit?
To request a parking permit, please sign up on the Public Safety page on the MySV Portal. Students are required to display their permit. Cars without permits will be ticketed during the first week of classes.Important Information About Financial Clearance
Financial Clearance must be obtained prior to check-in. Students who are not cleared will be directed to the Business Office to obtain their clearances. You will be notified by the Business Office when you are financially cleared. Please make sure you have financial clearance prior to check-in.If you have questions about financial clearance, please contact the Business Office at 724-537-4577.
Contact information
Bridget DiVittis, Coordinator of Commuter Outreach
bridget.divittis@stvincent.eduOrientation Committee
svc.orientation@stvincent.eduResidence Life Office
Alfred Hall, 1st Floor
Phone: 724-805-2567
Email: studentaffairs@stvincent.edu -
Financial Clearance
- Financial Clearance must be obtained prior to moving into Residence Halls. Those students who have been financially cleared will be given their room key, and students who are not cleared will be directed to the Business Office to obtain their clearances. Students without financial clearance will not receive their room keys.
- If you haven’t received financial clearance, staff will be available between 8:30 am and 4:30 pm to help you through the process. Lot A Welcome Area staff will guide you to the Business Office, where you’ll need to complete your clearance before receiving your room key. Once you're cleared, return to your car and a staff member will help direct you to your residence hall. Please note: this may cause a delay in your move-in.
- If a student arrives after 4:30 pm, they are expected to obtain financial clearance the next day or on Monday, August 25, by noon. Otherwise, the student’s ID card will be deactivated, and they will be required to leave their residence hall until clearance is obtained.
- You will be notified by the Business Office when you are financially cleared. Please make sure you have financial clearance prior to move-in. Students without financial clearance will not receive their room keys.
Creating Your Campus Home
Freshmen Residence Halls and Pod Life
Welcome to Saint Benedict Hall, your home for your first year at Saint Vincent! Here, you'll enjoy the most picturesque view of the sunrise over our Basilica. Saint Benedict Hall is designed to help first-year students foster a true sense of community and get to know their classmates.
- Pod Living: You'll live in “pods” or neighborhoods of 16-24 students, grouped based on your study habits, interests, sleep schedule, and more.
- Community Spaces: Each of the 21 individual pods has its own lounge and a unique theme, providing a space for bonding and activities.
- Activities and Programs: Participate in programs, games, and Bible studies together, making friends that last a lifetime.
- Pod Wars: Compete in fun activities like human battleship, scavenger hunts, and the ultimate finale to win the coveted title of Pod Wars Champions.
Your pod will be your team, your home, and your family throughout your freshman year.
Commuter Life
Welcome to the Citrone Family Commuter Center, your home away from home on campus! Located on the first floor of Placid Hall across from the Caf, this dedicated commuter lounge is designed to provide a comfortable and convenient space for you during your downtime.
- Amenities: Enjoy a kitchenette equipped with a microwave, refrigerator, and Keurig as well as study tables, a pool table, TV, and wireless internet service.
- Access: As a commuter, you’ll also have access to Saint Benedict Hall, including its lounge, computer lab, and kitchenette.
- Support: You’ll be assigned a home neighborhood with a prefect who will guide you through orientation events and assist you throughout the year.
- Activities: Join in many activities with your fellow first-year students, making connections and enjoying your time on campus.
The Citrone Family Commuter Center is a relaxing and enjoyable space, perfect for studying, socializing, and unwinding.
Preparing for Academic Success
Academic Support
Get ready to start on the right foot academically with our supportive faculty and staff.
- Faculty advisors are assigned to help you choose courses and assist you in meeting the necessary requirements for your major, while helping you achieve your academic goals.
- The Student Academic Success staff offer tutoring and study skill sessions for extra academic support.
First Year Courses
Your first-year experience includes classes designed to introduce you to the traditions that inform our mission as a Catholic, Benedictine, liberal arts institution of higher learning.
- The Listening Seminar: In this Core course, you’ll listen “with the ear of the heart,” you’ll read and discuss ancient texts, and you'll engage with the Ten Hallmarks of Benedictine Education.
- Core Writing: This course will help you develop foundational skills in writing to help you connect to truth, defend justice, seek peace, and express love.