Week 15: Orientation Schedule and Student Employment

Issue #15

Orientation Schedule and Student Employment

New Student Orientation Schedule is Posted!

August is almost here, and we can’t wait for you to join us on campus! Orientation sessions take place virtually from August 11-20, then resume in person when you move to campus on Friday, August 22. Early arrival will begin with football on August 12.  You’ll find the full orientation schedule here. 

Orientation activities are designed to help you build social connections and friendships, navigate your first classes, and introduce you to academic advising. You’ll also learn about important campus offices, resources, and your new home of Oberlin and the City of Cleveland. Finally, we’ll help you understand our inclusive community, our commitment toward equity, and important policies that help us maintain everyone’s safety.

We are excited to welcome our transfer students!  Transfer students are expected to participate in all the required orientation events, and we have also added a few special programs just for our transfer students.  Please be sure to look for them in the schedule; they will be highlighted in blue.

On Wednesday, August 27th, the first day of classes, New Student Orientation shifts to Welcome Week—a week of concerts, open houses, special meals, and other fun events open to all new and returning students.

For questions about Orientation or Welcome Week, please contact Director of Student Involvement and Orientation, Tina Zwegat.

‌Who’s Who at Orientation

These are the returning students that you’ll meet during Orientation:

• Orientation leaders—recognized by their matching t-shirts—will answer your questions and serve as a resource for you and your family. They will also take attendance at Orientation and Welcome Week activities.
• Student-athletes, wearing team jerseys and black and white baseball caps, will be stationed at various residence halls to assist with move-in. 
• PALS and ConPALS, or Peer Advising Leaders, will lead cohorts of students to help orient you to Oberlin’s academic and social life. You’ll learn more about PALs in next week’s edition of Ready, Set, Oberlin!
• RAs, or Residential Assistants, will help to build community in your residence hall. 

Student Employment at Oberlin

The Student Employment Office welcomes our new students! Oberlin offers not only great opportunities to learn, but also the chance to gain job skills and knowledge that can help you transition into your professional life after graduation. Last year, more than 1,700 students held jobs on campus!

If you are considering a campus job, you’ll need to bring to Oberlin several federally required employment authorization documents. The list of acceptable documents may be found on page 2 of the I-9 form. Please note that photocopies, scans, emails, or pictures of these documents are not acceptable. Per federal regulations, original, unexpired documents must be submitted in person to the Student Employment Office no later than three days after your employment start date. Documents cannot be submitted before an employment offer has been accepted.

Please visit oberlin.edu/studentemployment (click the “Information for Students” box) for additional information and resources. This section includes links to Oberlin’s job posting site, payment guidelines, new student hire requirements, and more.  Please note that direct deposit is a condition of employment and can be set up in OberView.

Natalie Scott '26

"I've found my student jobs to be more forgiving and understanding of my busy academic lifestyle while also giving me resume experience that I can take to summer jobs or post-grad experiences.  It also gives me a place to meet professors, faculty, and students I wouldn't otherwise get to interact with.  Specific to my research desk job, I have learned to use so many of the college's research resources that I wouldn't have known about otherwise, and I have been able to use these resources in my classes.

I have been able to acquire strong interpersonal skills working at the research help desk, and doing odd-jobs around the library has improved my ability to work individually.  I have also developed my problem-solving skills answering unusual questions or solving conflicts through the library chat - all skills which I hope to take to post-grad positions."