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Head shot of Cliff BobbittDear Scot Supporter,

Welcome to The College of Wooster! Move-In Day is August 12 unless your student is arriving early for a college sponsored event or organization (International Students, Athletics, Band, etc.).

My staff and I look forward to meeting you and your student in the coming weeks. We have prepared an ambitious New Student Orientation (NSO) schedule to engage you and your student. NSO is a continuation of ARCH, which your student has recently completed in-person or virtually. At NSO, your student will be paired in a cohort of their First Year Seminar (FYS) classmates, or transfer students if your student is a transfer student, which ensures that on their first day of classes your student will know at least 15 or so people. Their cohort will be guided by a returning student who will serve as their New Student Orientation leader, or as we call them at Wooster, “Woo Crew” leaders.

Please encourage your student to be actively involved in this event and events beyond New Student Orientation that help them to become acclimated to college life and the resources and support services available to them at Wooster. Studies have shown that college student involvement is positively related to academic performance, cognitive development, well-being, leadership, and multicultural awareness.

Scot Supporters, we didn’t forget about you! During NSO, there will be plenty of time for you to meet faculty and staff at the College, socialize with other Scot Supporters, and meet parents of current students. Additionally, we have scheduled family entertainment for Saturday night in downtown Wooster.  The College is collaborating with Mainstreet Wooster for a collaborative welcome back to school celebration for The College of Wooster students and Wooster City School students. There will be live music for free downtown or explore downtown food options at your own expense.

New Student Orientation is a time where our community comes together to share everything Wooster has to offer. Before you leave NSO on Sunday, we invite all Scot Supporters to join us for one of Wooster’s time-honored traditions—the first-year class photo, followed by our march through the arch led by the Wooster Pipe Band! You don’t want to miss this (but if you do, we will be live streaming)!  We welcome parents to line the arch, take lots of photos, and applaud as your student is officially welcomed into the Wooster community. Four years later, your student will again march through the arch on graduation day.

Please check the Scot Supporter schedule for dining options and locations. Due to the large number of returning students on campus, the plethora of volunteers, the limited space in Lowry Center Dining area, and so we may adequately prepare meals for your arrival, we ask that you complete the following Microsoft form Dining RSVP by Friday, August 1, indicating the number of attendees (other than your student) planning to dine in the Lowry Center dining area for Saturday dinner and Sunday brunch.  Dining tickets will be sold on Saturday in the Lowry dining area.

Your student’s meals will be accounted for with their meal plan.

So what comes next?

Housing assignments and move-in instructions will be sent out soon.  Please have your student check their email regularly.  Students will also receive their mailbox number via their emails.

Review College COVID-19 Information below:

All current and incoming students are required to report their vaccination status using the confidential Student Wellness Portal. If your student has not visited this portal to update their vaccination status, please have them do so no later than August 1. Students should also have their CDC or WHO vaccination card with them on campus.

Students who cannot be vaccinated for COVID-19 because of a medical reason or sincerely held religious belief, practice, or observance may request an exemption through the College. Exemptions or reasonable accommodations are not guaranteed.  Students wishing to request a vaccine exemption should complete the vaccine exemption form no later than two weeks prior to the start of the classes.

The College will continue to maintain a mask optional policy for all faculty, staff, students, and visitors, with a few notable exceptions:

  • Masks absolutely must be worn by anyone who is COVID-19 positive or has symptoms of COVID-19, until the required isolation protocol has been completed. Check wooster.edu/guide for what to do if you feel ill. Masks should be worn until symptoms have passed.

Check the NSO Website

Check out the NSO website for the latest schedule and information regarding New Student Orientation.

If you have further questions, please do not hesitate to call the Dean of Students office at 330-263-2545 or connect via email at dos@wooster.edu.

Best Wishes and Safe Travels!

Go Scots!

Cliff Bobbitt
Interim Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students
The College of Wooster