Welcome to Your New Home
Leaving your comfort zone is hard, and Launch into Loras helps you transition smoothly from high school to college.
Launch into Loras is a required aspect of your Engaging Communities course and helps kick off your first-year experience at Loras. The program begins four days prior to your other fall courses and will help you build lasting relationships with students, faculty, and staff. Created to support the goals of your Engaging Communities course, all sessions offer hands-on experiential learning activities and discussion time.
Each Engaging Communities section will have a faculty, staff, and two upper-class students participating fully alongside first-year students. Through classroom sessions, team building, and social activities, the Launch into Loras program will aid incoming students with their Loras transition both in and outside the classroom.
August 22-25, 2024
Get in Touch
Student Life
loras.edu/campus-life
563.588.7731
Launch Schedule:
First-Year Students
Thursday, August 22
| 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. | Residence Hall Move In | Various Locations |
| Welcome to Loras College! As you arrive at your assigned Residence Hall, Residence Life, and our Welcome Team will greet you and your guests and help you settle into your room. | ||
| 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. | Ring In Your First Year | Wahlert Hall Lawn |
| Welcome to Loras College! As you arrive at your assigned Residence Hall, Residence Life and our Welcome Team will greet you and your guests and help you settle into your room. | ||
| 3:00 p.m. | Welcome Mass | Christ the King Chapel |
| Participate in this tradition of ringing our Victory Bell. Students ring the bell at the beginning and again at the end of their Loras careers. You will want to capture the moment with a photo for a comparison in 2028! | ||
| 4:00 p.m. | Families Say Goodbye | |
| Say goodbye to your family and head to the Rock Bowl for the welcome ceremony. | ||
| 4:15 – 5:00 p.m. | Welcome Ceremony | Rock Bowl |
| Attend the Welcome Ceremony with your Engaging Communities class. This event will kick off your career as a Loras College student, and it is mandatory for all first-year students. | ||
| 5:00 – 5:45 p.m. | Engaging Communities Meet-n-Greet | TBD |
| Attend the Engaging Communities Meet-n-Greet – it is mandatory for all first-year students. | ||
| 5:45 – 6:45 p.m. | Welcome Cookout | MARC Lawn |
| Enjoy the cookout with members of your Engaging Communities class. Mandatory for all first-year students. | ||
| 7:30 p.m. | Welcome to Residence Life | Various Halls |
| Join your RAs and fellow Duhawks for your first official residence hall meeting of the 2024-25 year! Mandatory for all first-year residents. | ||
| 9:00 p.m. | Pizzapalooza | MARC Lawn |
| Enjoy pizza from some of the favorite local pizza places. | ||
| 10:30 p.m. | Welcome Home | Various Halls |
| Join your RAs and fellow Duhawks for your first official residence hall meeting of the 2024-25 year! This meeting is mandatory for all first-year residents. |
Friday, August 23
| CLUSTER 1: Cluster information Participant Workbook pg 5-6. Mandatory for all first-year residents. 7:15 a.m. Breakfast 8:15 a.m. Load Busses 9:00 a.m. Ropes Course Experience 11:00 a.m. Engaging Communities Class #2 12:30 p.m. Lunch |
| CLUSTER 2 Cluster information Participant Workbook pg 5-6. Mandatory for all first-year residents. 8:15 a.m. Breakfast 9:15 a.m. Engaging Communities Class #2 10:45 a.m. Load Busses 11:30 a.m. Ropes Course Experience 1:15 p.m. Lunch |
| 4:30 – 6:00 p.m. | Dinner with your Peer Advisor | Cafeteria |
| Your PA will communicate what time your section will meet | ||
| 6:30 p.m. | Campus Scavenger Hunt | |
| Join your Orientation Leaders in this fun and interactive event to help you get to know the Loras College campus. | ||
| 8:00 p.m. | Slip-n-Slide Water Party | MARC Lawn |
| Come cool off with some water games as well as yard games to meet some new Duhawks. | ||
| 10:30 p.m. | Residence Hall Socials | Various Halls |
| Get to know your RAs and fellow Duhawks that live in your Residence Hall! |
Saturday, August 24
| 7:15 – 9:30 a.m. | Breakfast | Cafeteria |
| Gather together in the Loras cafeteria for breakfast. | ||
| 9:00 a.m. – Noon | Du-Downtown | Downtown Dubuque |
| Join your OL and fellow Duhawks and explore downtown Dubuque and visit some of the local businesses. Mandatory for all first-year students. | ||
| 12:00 p.m. | Lunch with your Orientation Leader | Cafeteria |
| Gather together in the Loras cafeteria for lunch. | ||
| 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. | DuConnect Fest | TBD |
| Enjoy the carnival atmosphere of this festival as you get to know some of our many student organizations. Mandatory for all first-year students. | ||
| 2:00 – 6:30 p.m. | Peer Advisor Meetings | Various Locations |
| All first-year students will meet with your Peer Advisor for 15 minutes. Mandatory for all first-year students. | ||
| 5:00 p.m. | Dinner with your floor | Cafeteria |
| Enjoy dinner with your residence hall floor. | ||
| 6:30 p.m. | Walk my schedule | Loras Campus |
| Don’t be late on the first day of class! Loras Orientation Leaders will assist you in finding classrooms for your fall semester classes. | ||
| 7:30 p.m. | First Year Bingo Extravaganza | Ballroom |
| Come join your classmates in a campus favorite student event. Have an opportunity to win PS5, flat screen tv, gift cards, and much more! | ||
| 9:00 p.m. | Late Night in the Cafe | Cafeteria |
| Join your fellow Duhawks in this favorite program with free food, drinks, music, and fun. | ||
| 10:30 p.m. | Residence Hall Social | Various Halls |
Sunday, August 25
| 7:15 – 9:30 a.m. | Breakfast | Cafeteria |
| Gather together in the Loras cafeteria for breakfast. | ||
| 10:15 – 11:30 a.m. | Engaging Communities Class | TBD |
| Wrap up your Launch into Loras experience with this session. Mandatory for all first-year students. | ||
| 11:30 a.m. | Presidential Lunch | Ballroom |
| This is another favorite Loras tradition. Join President Jim Collins and your fellow Duhawks for a special meal to kick off your first year. Dress is Business Casual. Mandatory for all first-year students. | ||
| 2:00 – 8:00 p.m. | Peer Advisor Meetings | TBD |
| All first-year students will meet with your Peer Advisor for 15 minutes. Mandatory for all first-year students. | ||
| 8:00 p.m. | Sunday Mass | Christ the King Chapel |
Launch Schedule:
Transfer Students
Friday, August 23
| 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. | Transfer Student Move-In | ACC Concourse |
| Transfer students can pick up their housing keys in the ACC Concourse and have a member of the transfer staff walk them to their campus housing. | ||
| 1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. | Transfer Student Welcome (Mandatory) | 3rd Floor MARC |
| PA Introductions, team building, hand out t-shirts, review schedule. Introduction to Downtown Dubuque Bingo and DuConnect Fest. | ||
| 5:30 p.m. | Dinner in the Cafe | Cafeteria |
| Gather together in the Loras cafeteria for dinner. | ||
| 6:30 p.m. | Campus Scavenger Hunt | |
| Say goodbye to your family and head to the rockbowl for the welcome ceremony. | ||
| 8:00 p.m. | Slip-n-Slide Water Party | MARC Lawn |
| Join your fellow Duhawks, and have fun with Giant Slip n’ Slide, light snacks, drinks, yard games, music, water balloons, water guns, etc. | ||
| 10:30 p.m. | Residence Hall Socials | Various Halls |
| Meet your Engaging Communities professor, peer advisor, Success Coordinator, and fellow classmates. Mandatory for all first-year students. |
Transfer Students
Saturday, August 24
| 7:30 – 9:30 a.m. | Breakfast | Cafeteria |
| Gather together in the Loras cafeteria for breakfast. | ||
| 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. | Du Downtown Dubuque (Mandatory) | Downtown Dubuque |
| Join your OL and fellow Duhawks and explore downtown Dubuque and visit some of the local businesses. | ||
| 12:00 p.m. | Lunch | Cafeteria |
| Gather together in the Loras cafeteria for lunch. | ||
| 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. | Campus Fest (Mandatory) | MARC Lawn |
| Enjoy the carnival atmosphere of this festival as you get to know some of our many student organizations. | ||
| 2:15 – 4:00 p.m. | Transfer and Transformation Meeting (Mandatory) | 3rd Floor MARC |
| All transfer students will gather for a mandatory Transfer Student meeting. | ||
| 4:00 p.m. | Walk my schedule | Loras Campus |
| Don’t be late on the first day of class! You will be assisted in finding classrooms for your Fall classes. | ||
| 5:30 p.m. | Dinner in the Cafe | Cafeteria |
| Gather together in the Loras cafeteria for dinner. | ||
| 7:30 p.m. | New Student Bingo Extravaganza | Ballroom |
| Come join your fellow new students in a campus favorite. Have an opportunity to win PS5, flat screen tv, gift cards, and much more! | ||
| 9:00 p.m. | Late Night in the Cafe | Cafeteria |
| Join your fellow Duhawks in this favorite program with free food, drinks, music, and fun. |
Transfer Students
Sunday, August 25
| 7:30 – 9:30 a.m. | Breakfast | Cafeteria |
| Gather together in the Loras cafeteria for breakfast. | ||
| 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. | Transfer and Transformation Meeting (Mandatory) | TBD |
| Wrap up your Launch into Loras experience in this session. Students will need their laptops to go over software programs needed for success. | ||
| 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. | Welcome Luncheon (Mandatory) | The Pub |
| This is another favorite Loras tradition. Join members of the College Administrative team and your fellow Duhawks for a special meal to kick off your first year at Loras. Dress is Business Casual. | ||
| 4:30 – 7:00 p.m. | Dinner in the Cafe | Cafeteria |
| Gather together in the Loras cafeteria for dinner. | ||
| 8:00 p.m. | Sunday Mass | Christ the King Chapel |