Passages: Your Orientation to Puget Sound

At Puget Sound, Passages is the community experience for all new and transfer students entering Puget Sound. The program is designed to introduce students to the intellectual life at Puget Sound, connect them with their peers, student leaders, faculty, and staff members, and help them feel comfortable using university resources. 

Passages is chock-full of orientation activities to assist new students in their transition to Puget Sound and the academic year ahead.  Activities include academic advising, an academic fair, music auditions, sessions on applying for campus employment, and getting connected socially. Students will connect with communities and issues that matter to them during the Campus Engagement Historical Journey and join their Passages Group on a day-and-a-half to three-day immersive experience. To participate, students register and rank their top immersive experiences. Students who have completed their deposit may complete the registration for Passages via their To-Do list in their myPugetSound portal.

Move-in

Families and friends can help students move into campus housing on the first day (Friday) of Passages and then are invited to stay and participate in our Parents and Family Welcome and Orientation on Saturday.

Parents and Family Orientation 

  • Join us at Puget Sound for a special opportunity to welcome the families of our newest Loggers! Our Parent & Family Resource Sessions are designed to introduce you to the student experience and the many resources available on campus. Kick off the day with our keynote address, "Becoming a Logger," presented by Sarah Comstock, Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students. Then, spend the rest of the day with key offices, mingling time with other parents, and exploring the many spaces on campus! Full itinerary and registration information to come.
  • Welcome gatherings for new students and their families take place on move-in day or on the Saturday after move-in. You can find more information about each of these on the Passages Schedule page (click on the three vertical dots next to the Orientation label in the maroon stripe above to find a drop down with links to additional pages with information about Passages Orientation), but they include:
    • First Generation College Students & Families Reception (3pm on Friday, Aug 22 in the Tahoma Room)
    • President’s Welcome at Convocation (4pm on Friday, Aug 22 in Memorial Fieldhouse)
    • Black Alumni Union Welcome
    • Parent and Families Orientation (throughout the morning on Saturday, Aug 23) 
    • Havdalah (5:15pm on Saturday, Aug 23 at the Ferguson Plaza, Wyatt Hall)
    • Sin Fronteras Welcome Back Reception 
       

Through the Week

Academic Orientation  
During your Academic Orientation, students will meet their Faculty Advisor, connect with classmates in their Advising Course, and be introduced to academic life at Puget Sound.

  • Advising  - Students will meet with their academic advisors and peer advisor to review their course schedule (available around mid-July) and have a conversation about their future explorations at Puget Sound. Peer Advisor will support your transition to college academics, offering time management tips, study skills, and help learning the academic culture at Puget Sound. 
  • Academic Fair - Students attend the academic fair to talk with professors about areas of study they are interested in pursuing while at Puget Sound. Come find what interests you, you do not need to know your major(s) of study.

Immersive Experiences
Passages provides an opportunity to try new things, engage with Tacoma and the Pacific Northwest, and connect with peers. Immersive Experiences provide students with an opportunity to meet other students and Orientation Leaders to explore a subject or a place. In May, new and transfer students will choose six options from a list of more than twenty different Immersive Experiences. Take a look at the list of Immersive Experiences.

     Passages Equipment lists for day and overnight Immersive Experiences:

     Day Activities:
     Day hikes, paddling, climbing - hiking boots recommended, but not required.

     Car Camping

     Backpacking

Music Ensemble Placement
Students who wish to participate in music ensembles on campus will have the opportunity to audition for the various groups the School of Music offers. 

Student Technology Information
Learn about classroom technology, and how to use campus technology including: Canvas, Google Suite, myPugetSound, networking, printing, and recommended computer specifications. Be sure to stop by the Technology Services table on move-in day. 

Campus Employment
Career and Employment Services will be available to discuss on-campus employment during the week of orientation. Work-Study students will have a mandatory orientation meeting during the week. Those students will be able to set up interviews with campus employers during orientation week.

Other Events
Students will attend various workshops that cover important topics that Puget Sound feels are vital to be a productive member of our community. These workshops include discussions about consent, safe use of alcohol, experiential learning, study abroad, important campus histories, and engaging with cultures different from your own.  

Students and their guests will be welcomed by university leaders during Convocation and students will enter the academic community of Puget Sound during Matriculation. 

Passages Schedules

We are excited to welcome our incoming first-year and transfer students!

Accessibility Information
Email: accessibility@pugetsound.edu
Online: pugetsound.edu/accessibility

 

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