Pre-Orientation Programs

Find your place in your new home.

Ask any student whether they found their community at Kenyon, and they’ll probably tell you that they found many. Our new two-day pre-orientation program, before the start of Fall Orientation, is a great way to discover one of yours. You can join a small group of students who share an interest in the arts, sustainability, community engagement, or student leadership, exploring subjects you care deeply about in a community and region we know you will grow to love.

This year, we are offering four pre-orientation programs August 21-23:

From Farm to Table and Back Again
Making Art and Building Connections
Taking the Lead in Student Life
Where We Live: Nature and the Environment in Knox County

Pre-orientation programs involve no additional fees. They are small by design and intended for incoming students who have not already spent time on campus this summer. Spaces will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis, so registration might fill up quickly. If you are interested in participating, please share your program preferences by June 24. Don’t worry if you are not able to take part in a pre-orientation experience — there will be many other opportunities to connect with these and other groups throughout the academic year.

Program Details

Discover the difference you can make in your local community by pitching in to help. You will travel to Arch Park Community Garden in neighboring Mount Vernon to learn about community gardening and help harvest produce that will later be prepared in a commercial kitchen, working alongside a local chef, for a shared meal with new friends. You will learn about different types of corn and agricultural practices, including composting, and help deliver meals to those in need.

Learn more about the Office for Community Partnerships.

Create community through art making with local artists skilled in paper making, printmaking and more. You will learn to make paper using recycled materials, linocut techniques for creating informational posters and artistic prints, and how to build culture with zines. Get a sneak peek at new acquisitions for the permanent collection in Kenyon’s on-campus museum and learn about the current exhibition on display at the community art center. You will also have the chance to explore the summer inspirational theme, painting and sculpture, more specifically the art of Naudline Pierre, who is featured in the fall exhibitions.

Learn more about The Gund and The Annex.

Get a jump on learning about the various campus leadership opportunities available for you during your Kenyon journey. In this interactive program, you will examine and strengthen your leadership skills through the Student Leadership Challenge Workshop and an escape room in Columbus with other aspiring leaders. You will also get to connect with upperclass student mentors and key Kenyon staff.

Learn more about the Office of Student Engagement.

Explore Kenyon’s 700-acre Brown Family Environmental Center (BFEC) and nature preserve, and feel grounded in Kenyon’s magnificent local environment. You will learn about the plants, animals and ecosystems surrounding the College while hiking BFEC trails and floating down the scenic Kokosing River. This active experience includes traversing hilly terrain and a river experience while giving students the opportunity to consider their values towards the natural world and how human behavior impacts the earth.

Learn more about the Brown Family Environmental Center.