Welcome to Orientation, Puget Sound-style.

For three and a half days in late August, roughly 700 first-year and transfer students explored the Seattle-Tacoma region by participating in one of 64 curated immersive experiences from mountains to museums.

For generations of Loggers, Orientation (with its Prelude, Passages, and Perspectives elements) has emphasized connecting with each other, the natural world, and the larger community. The immersive experiences introduced this year aimed to take that approach further.

From learning to blow glass at Tacoma Glassblowing Studio to volunteering at a local community kitchen and kayaking on the Hood Canal, all 30 diverse experiences touched on the culture of the Pacific Northwest. They also served as an introduction to Puget Sound’s approach to education, which emphasizes experiential learning and reflection. Upon returning to campus, Orientation groups discussed what they had seen, heard, and accomplished, and each student reflected on how they impact and interact with the world around them.

Click through the photos below to see students participating in three immersive experiences throughout Tacoma.