Allow us to be among the first of many to welcome you to Hope College and to the Orientation blog! We are excited that you have made the transformational decision to join the Hope community. Our lives have changed because of the academic programs, spiritual and leadership growth opportunities, and meaningful relationships that Hope offers, and we know that you will flourish here too! This is a big and exciting transition and we are eager to support and equip you for the start of a great Hope experience.
We also want to extend a welcome to the families of our new students as you all begin this journey together! Orientation will provide you with information and experiences so you are ready to have a student at Hope.
Orientation is here for you!
We know this year has not been easy: graduating from high school and entering college in the midst of a global pandemic has created trials and obstacles you have had to learn to overcome. However, we at Orientation want to assure you that we are here for you! Though the circumstances are constantly in flux due to the pandemic, we are dedicated to communicating and connecting as much as we possibly can with you and your families throughout the summer.
Please know this as we move forward: Hope is planning to offer a safe, in-person Orientation experience for new students in August. We also know that this plan may have to change as we learn from our health and government leaders.
How to stay updated over the summer:
The majority of our communication will be through three online platforms: this blog, @hopeorientation, and the Orientation website. This allows us to be flexible as we plan, providing you and your families with continuously updated information. Schedules, instructions for how to RSVP for Orientation, and safe move-in guidelines will be available on these platforms in the coming months.
For now, we ask for your continued patience as we continue to navigate these unprecedented times and encourage you to regularly check-in to this blog and our Instagram throughout the summer!
On this blog, you will find stories and advice from current students and staff about their college experience to help you become familiar with the Hope community and culture. In particular, keep a look-out each Wednesday for installments of our “Anchored in Hope” blog series with these stories.
If there is anything we can do to be more helpful or accommodating to your individual needs, please let us know. We can be reached by email at orientation@hope.edu. We, along with the entire Orientation 2020 team, look forward to sharing our stories with you over the upcoming months!