Parent & Family Orientation 2024

August 16, 2024 – August 18, 2024.
What to Expect During Parent & Family Orientation

Move-In

On your student’s move-in day, please adhere to your student’s assigned move-in time to assist us with the flow of traffic. Detailed information about move-in will be available on the Residential Life website.

Students may bring an unlimited number of family members and helpers with them.

If you are moving your student in on Friday, we encourage you to make plans with your family to explore St. Louis, shop for any additional supplies or snacks, and walk around campus on Saturday. You will have the whole day free as most of the Parent & Family Orientation programming takes place on Sunday to accommodate families with a Saturday move-in date. For ideas of what you can do in St. Louis, check out Explore St. Louis and what they recommend under See & Do.

Please note: Many Student Affairs department offices will be closed Friday and Saturday so their staff can support Move-In Day. Please directly contact a department via their listed phone number or email prior to or after these dates if you have any questions.

Parent & Family Orientation

On the day your student moves in, please send one representative from your group to check in for Parent & Family Orientation. Check-in will occur on Friday and Saturday from 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM in Student Transitions Family Programs located in the lower level of Umrath House on the South 40 (across from the Bear’s Den entrance). 

At check-in we will confirm your RSVP and be able to provide printed copies of the family schedule and campus maps.

It is important that every family checks in so we know how many people are on campus.

What to expect during Parent & Family Orientation:

  • On Saturday evening, many students and families will choose to eat together on campus or at a local restaurant before New Student & Family Welcome.
  • On Sunday, Parent & Family Orientation sessions are for families only. In our experience, most students prefer to sleep in and get settled. Families and students may choose to eat lunch together on campus and visit the Resource Fair.

For families who are unable to join us for Parent & Family Orientation, we will livestream and record the sessions. Livestream links will be available at families.wustl.edu.

Fall Welcome

Your student has a busy schedule during Fall Welcome. On the evening your student moves in, they have a required Residential Community Meeting. Beginning Monday morning, your student will be busy exploring academic life, community living, and St. Louis.

Convocation

A time-honored tradition at WashU, Convocation is the official academic welcome to the university. Students will join the Chancellor, Provost, Deans, and Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs in Brookings Quad along with their classmates.

Families are encouraged to participate in this time-honored university tradition from the comfort of their homes, via the livestream. The in-person event is for students only.

Exploring St. Louis

Some families may choose to arrive in St. Louis before their student’s assigned move-in day. Families may use that time to go shopping for last minute supplies and explore St. Louis. You can find a list of nearby shopping options in our shopping guide. Families may also use this as an opportunity to have a family meal at a local restaurant. You can find a list of nearby dining options in our dining guide.

Family Webinar Series

The Family Webinar Series is here to help families stay informed on all things WashU! We know you are integral to the success of your student, so we designed this webinar series around the questions we know you are, or will be, asking. Check out our upcoming and previous webinars for helpful information about WashU!

Additional Online Resources for Parents and Family Members

Class of 2028: What to Expect Over the Summer

St. Louis Shopping Guide

St. Louis Dining Guide

Accessibility

We strive to host inclusive, accessible events. If you have a disability and require accommodations (such as assistive listening device, captioning, large print, reserved front row seat, advanced copy of slides to be projected, etc.) in order to fully participate in our Parent & Family Orientation, please email Student Transitions & Family Programs at least 10 business days in advance of the event.