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
563.588.7206
Launch Schedule
Thursday, August 22
| 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. | Residence Hall Move In | Various Locations |
| Welcome to Loras College! As you arrive to your assigned Residence Hall, Residence Life and our Welcome Team will greet you and your guests and help you get settled into your room. | ||
| 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. | Ring In Your First Year | Wahlert Hall Lawn |
| Participate in this tradition of ringing our Victory Bell. Students ring the bell at the beginning of their Loras career and again at the end. You will want to capture the moment with a photo for a comparison in 2028! | ||
| 3:00 p.m. | Welcome Mass | Christ the King Chapel |
| Gather with your guests and fellow classmates as we come together in prayer and thanksgiving for your arrival to Loras College. | ||
| 4:00 p.m. | Families Say Goodbye | |
| Say goodbye to your family and head to the rockbowl 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! Mandatory for all first-year students. | ||
| 5:00 – 5:45 p.m. | Engaging Communities Meet-n-Greet | TBD |
| Meet your Engaging Communities professor, peer advisor, Success Coordinator, and fellow classmates. 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 |
| Meet your Hall Staff and neighbors, with events designed to help you get to know your fellow hall mates in a low-key environment. |
Friday, August 23
| 7:15 – 8:30 a.m. | Breakfast | Cafeteria |
| Gather together in the Loras cafeteria for breakfast. | ||
| 9:00 – 10:30 a.m. | Engaging Communities Class: Ropes Course | Four Mounds |
| Get to know your classmates and teaching team by participating in team building activities. Mandatory for all first-year students. | ||
| 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. | Engaging Communities Class | TBD |
| You will gather with your fellow Engaging Communities classmates to learn about academic life at Loras. Mandatory for all first-year students. | ||
| 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. | Lunch | Cafeteria |
| Gather together in the Loras cafeteria for lunch. | ||
| 5:30 p.m. | Dinner with your Peer Advisor | Cafeteria |
| Meet in the Loras cafeteria for dinner with your peer advisor. | ||
| 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 – 9:00 a.m. | Breakfast | Cafeteria |
| Gather together in the Loras cafeteria for breakfast. | ||
| 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. | 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. | ||
| 5:30 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. |
Sunday, August 25
| 7:15 – 9:30 a.m. | Breakfast | Cafeteria |
| Gather together in the Loras cafeteria for breakfast. | ||
| 10:30 – 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. – 12:30 p..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. |