X

Clarkson celebrates new year with fireworks, SUNY Potsdam welcoming students this week with more fireworks, activities

Posted 8/25/14

POTSDAM – Clarkson University welcomed back students to their campus with fireworks Sunday night, and SUNY Potsdam is greeting new and returning students to campus with a whirlwind of events this …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Clarkson celebrates new year with fireworks, SUNY Potsdam welcoming students this week with more fireworks, activities

Posted

POTSDAM – Clarkson University welcomed back students to their campus with fireworks Sunday night, and SUNY Potsdam is greeting new and returning students to campus with a whirlwind of events this week, as the 2014-15 academic year kicks off.

Clarkson students return to classes today, while SUNY Potsdam classes start next Monday.

Potsdam’s 2014 Welcome Weekend runs from Thursday, Aug. 28 to Sunday, Aug. 31.

New students will arrive on campus during move-in day on Thursday, Aug. 28, beginning at 10 a.m. More than 850 freshmen and their families will be buzzing around campus as they get acquainted with the area and university life.

SUNY Potsdam faculty and staff will gather for the First-Year Funnel at 4 p.m. on Thursday to give the incoming freshmen a rousing welcome as they walk from the Barrington Student Union to the Academic Quad.

The Class of 2018 will plant a tree in the Academic Quad at 4:15 p.m., followed by their first official class photo.

Immediately following, the first-year students will attend the New Student Convocation and Campus Welcome at 4:45 p.m. in the Helen M. Hosmer Concert Hall at SUNY Potsdam's Crane School of Music. Speaker Stan Pearson II will offer a talk on diversity.

On Friday, Aug. 29, all first-year and transfer students will attend the college's extended orientation to get to know more about the campus. SUNY Potsdam will welcome the new students with a fireworks display at 9 p.m. in Marshall Park. Then the new students will be treated to an outdoor movie, "Captain America."

Several welcome back activities, including recreation events, will be offered during the New Student Activity Day on Saturday, Aug. 30 from 2 to 5 p.m. in Lehman Park. The event features a giant "slip 'n slide," cooperative games, canoeing and kayaking.

Also returning this year is the Crane New Student Ensemble Concert, showcasing the talents of incoming Crane School of Music orchestral students as they perform a piece all together -- with little to no practice beforehand. The concert will take place at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 30 in Hosmer Hall. This event is free, and the public is invited to attend.

The college's annual Welcome Weekend Carnival will be offered on Sunday, Aug. 31 from 1 to 5 p.m. in the Maxcy Hall Field House. Representatives from student clubs and organizations will staff a wide variety of activities throughout the day. The event, with a tie-dying station, indoor rock wall climbing, bumper cars on ice, a do-it-yourself street sign booth, is free for students, faculty, staff and families. Maxcy Hall will also offer open swim and open ice skating sessions.

Returning students will move in throughout the weekend. The Fall 2014 semester kicks off on Monday, Sept. 1, with classes commencing that morning.

To cap off the start of the semester, SUNY Potsdam students will be invited to the 10th annual "First Saturday" in downtown Potsdam, co-sponsored by Clarkson University, on Saturday, Sept. 6 from noon to 5 p.m.

"First Saturday" contests and activities introduce students to the Village of Potsdam and participating businesses. Student performing groups from both SUNY Potsdam and Clarkson will perform throughout the day on the Market Street main stage.

To find out more about what's going on at SUNY Potsdam this fall, explore www.potsdam.edu.