FAQ for Domestic Students Invited to International Orientation

International Orientation is a five-day program for first-year international students, their roommates, and American students living abroad designed to help participants enhance their cross-cultural communication skills and build positive relationships while getting to know one another in a relaxed environment before the start of classes. Our sessions focus on topics that will be of interest to all participants regardless of where they call home and will focus on areas of culture (in the U.S., around the world and at Lafayette), as well as hot topics in the U.S. All of our activities are designed to empower participants to confidently jump into the semester with the knowledge and resources that will help them transition smoothly into college life. Although optional for American students with international roommates, we strongly recommend participation in this unique program, which has proven a valuable learning experience for those involved. International Orientation is held several days prior to New Student Orientation, so if a domestic roommate is invited and chooses to attend, please disregard the move-in details on the first-year website. Domestic roommates will instead register through a form that will be sent to their Lafayette email (from Janine Block) with further instructions there.

International Orientation will be held August 22-25, however international students will move in on August 21 so they have an extra day to take care of processes not typically needed by those living in the U.S.. If choosing to participate, domestic students should plan to move-in between 9AM – 11AM EST on August 23. We suggest arriving earlier than later in order to have adequate time to unpack and set up before our activities begin since there will be limited time to do until the morning of August 26th.

Please note that for a number of logistical reasons it is extremely difficult to accommodate domestic students prior to the designated arrival day. However, individual circumstances may be discussed with Janine Block, Assistant Director of Intercultural Development, who oversees the program. She can be reached at blockj@lafayette.edu.

Only under rare pre-approved circumstances. All of our International Orientation activities and sessions are designed to build off one another so late arrivals are disruptive to the overall group and experience. Therefore, we expect all registrants to participate in the full schedule unless a medical or extenuating circumstance necessitates an absence. Such requests should be communicated to Janine Block and the student’s Peer Captain as soon as possible.

No, the College requires that all first-year students arriving to campus early be actively involved in some type of formal programming (such as POSP, International Orientation or fall athletics). If you decide not to join us for International Orientation, you will move in on Friday, August 26, along with the rest of the class. Only students participating in a school-organized program are permitted to come early.

As noted above, everything we plan has an important purpose and therefore, Janine and the College administration expects full participation in all of our activities. Arriving earlier than their first-year peers is considered a privilege, therefore all first-year students arriving prior to New Student Orientation must be actively involved in an official school-organized program.

We may be able to accommodate individual arrivals to Lehigh Valley Airport or Easton Bus Station, however this will depend on student driver availability. Students coming from great distances (Hawaii, California, etc.) should contact Janine to inquire about the possibility of arriving on Sunday, August 21st during our international airport pick-ups. If approved, those students will be required to take part in all the planned activities for Monday and Tuesday.

Accompanying family members/guardians will be invited to a group lunch on Tuesday, August 23 where they can meet their student’s international roommate, as well as other pairs and their families on arrival day. Families/guardians will say their good-byes after lunch and may return on Friday for New Student Orientation activities if they so choose.

Fall room assignments will be ready on the designated arrival day. We will cover all meals through dinner on Thursday, August 25. If students wish to have breakfast on New Student Orientation move-in day, they may purchase something on their own at a store nearby. Meals will be covered again during New Student Orientation starting with lunch on Friday until their college meal plan begins over the weekend.