In our efforts to provide support for the transition of incoming students and their families, clear and comprehensive communication is essential. While we believe students are primarily responsible for their educational experience, we also acknowledge the integral role you play in the success of your students. Check this page for ongoing updates emailed out to families on our email list.

Summer 2025 Communication

Welcome to the Lehigh community! The Office of First-Year Experience (OFYE) is dedicated to supporting your student's successful transition to Lehigh. We recognize the vital role you play in their journey. You can learn more about our partnership philosophy on our family website.

We want to provide you with key initial resources and information to help you support your student's preparation for their arrival in August.

Key Information & Dates for Your Student:

  • Welcome Kit: This essential guide containing important information for the summer was mailed to your student this week. Please encourage them to review it carefully.
  • Lehigh Student Portal: Starting Tuesday, May 13th, your student will have access to important information, including the Summer Checklist. This checklist will help them stay organized with forms and deadlines. Please note that this portal is designed for student use to foster their ownership of these responsibilities. We will continue to send you updates so that you are aware of deadlines also.
  • Lehigh Email: Beginning Tuesday, May 13th, your student's official Lehigh email will be active. Starting May 14th, all university communications will be sent there. Please encourage your student to check their Lehigh email regularly to avoid missing important information and updates.
  • Housing Contract: Students will be able to access their housing contract in June. This is where they will submit housing preferences (roommates, themed communities, gender) and select a meal plan. The deadline to complete this is June 20th. If they have a dining, medical or religious accommodation request for housing, they must submit the appropriate information between May 15 and June 1. This process must be completed before the housing contract opens.
  • PreLUsion Registration (Opens May 13th at 3:00 PM EDT): If your student is interested in our pre-orientation programs (preLUsion), registration will open to them on both the Summer Checklist and the preLUsion webpage.Scholarship applications are currently available.

Resources for Parents & Families:

  • Family Website: We encourage you to explore our website for valuable information, including FAQs and transition resources.
  • Lehigh Parents & Families Page: Bookmark this page that acts as a central hub for parents and families, offering essential information, resources, and engagement opportunities.

Upcoming Webinars - Save the Dates!

We invite you to join our online summer webinar series to learn more about university staff, campus resources, and how to best support your student's transition.We’ll start with the Kick-Off to the Summer Webinar Series with the OFYE: Tuesday, May 13th at 8:00 PM EDT. The schedule, registration and recordings will be available on our Webinar Series webpage.

We will continue to communicate with your student directly via email and will also send you updates every couple of weeks throughout the summer.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Office of First-Year Experience at fye@lehigh.edu or (610) 758-1300.

We are excited to invite you to Lehigh University's 2025 Summer Webinar Series! These sessions are designed to introduce you to campus resources, support your transition, and connect you with key university staff. Whether you're a student or a family member, these webinars will provide valuable insights to prepare for the upcoming academic year.

Summer Schedule

REGISTER HERE for any or all of the webinars this summer!

  • Office of the First-Year Experience Welcome & Kick-Off
    Tuesday, May 13 – 8:00 PM EDT
  • Accommodations 101: Successfully Navigating the Transition for Students with Disabilities
    Thursday, May 22 – 12:00 PM EDT
  • Completing Your Housing Contract
    Monday, June 2 – 6:00 PM EDT
  • Academic Advising & Support for Students
    Tuesday, June 10 – 7:00 PM EDT
  • Tech Talk for First-Year Students and Families
    Wednesday, June 25, 2025 – 7:00 PM EDT
  • Pursuing the Pre-Health Track at Lehigh: Meet the Pre-Health Director and the Med Mentors
    Thursday, July 10, 2025 – 5:30 PM EDT
  • Are You Move-In Ready?
    Tuesday, July 15, 2025 – 7:00 PM EDT

We hope you will join us! More webinars will be announced as the summer continues. Sessions will be recorded as appropriate and posted on our summer webinar webpage one week after each session.

As summer approaches, we're here to help you and your student stay on track with important deadlines and events. Here are a few key updates and reminders to keep in mind this June:

Summer Checklist: Updated and Ready

The Summer Checklist has been refreshed with new links and details. Here are a few time-sensitive items you should be aware of:

  • By June 2: If your student has dietary, medical, or religious accommodation needs for housing, those requests are due now.

  • June 4: The housing contract will be available. Your student can access the link via their checklist and email.

  • June 30: Orientation Information & Consent Form is due. This form helps us plan for your family's needs during move-in, including physical accommodations, restaurant preferences for Faux Friday, dietary needs, and more. Orientation is mandatory for all incoming students.

  • July 11: Student Health Forms must be submitted. These need to be signed by your student’s physician, and vaccine records must be uploaded to the health portal.

  • Student Sendoffs: Consider signing up to attend a Student Sendoff event in your area—a great way to connect with other families and students.

Summer Webinar Series for Families

We’re offering a series of live webinars to help you and your student prepare for life at Lehigh. These sessions are a great opportunity to ask questions and hear from campus experts. If you can't join live, recordings will be posted a few days later on our Summer Webinar Series page.

  • Completing Your Housing Contract
     Monday, June 2 at 6:00 PM EDT
     
  • Academic Advising & Support for Students
     Tuesday, June 10 at 7:00 PM EDT
     
  • Campus Safety Information & Resources
     Wednesday, June 18 at 7:00 PM EDT
     
  • Tech Talk for First-Year Students & Families
     Wednesday, June 25 at 7:00 PM EDT

 

Stay in the Loop

Encourage your student to check their Lehigh email regularly and revisit their Summer Checklist for updates. As always, we’re here to help every step of the way.

We’re reaching out to share important updates and resources about your student’s housing and dining experience at Lehigh. The housing contract went live on your students’ housing self-service portal and will be open until June 20. If you filled it out and want to change your preferences, you can simply fill it out again.

To support your student in completing their Housing Contract, you can visit the Housing Services webpage or watch the recording of the Completing your Housing Contract webinar if you missed it.

To explore more about first-year housing, we encourage you and your student to…

We’ve added a new webinar about Dining at Lehigh this Thursday at 12:00 P.M. Learn everything you need to know about Lehigh Dining—meal plans, dining locations, nutrition resources, and more. You can register on the Summer Webinar webpage. The recording will be posted on the same page by the end of day Friday.

If your student has a medical condition that impacts their ability to dine well on campus, we encourage them  to reach out to our Registered Dietitian, Executive Chef, or General Manager. Many dietary needs can be easily accommodated. Additional documentation may be required for formal accommodations and are past due—please have your student visit the Office of Disability Services for details and instructions on how to submit a meal plan accommodation request.

As your student prepares to begin their journey at Lehigh, we want to keep you informed of important steps and opportunities they may be hearing about. Over the next week, your student will be receiving emails with updates summarized below. We encourage you to review the information so you can help support and remind them of important deadlines.

1. PreLUsion Programs – Spots Are Filling Fast!

Lehigh offers preLUsion, a collection of optional pre-orientation programs that take place three days before Orientation begins. These programs help students connect with campus, build community, and explore shared interests with peers and staff. Programs are filling up quickly, and registration will close at the end of the month.

The programs that still have spots available include: Bridges to Bethlehem, CSB Connect, GlobaLehigh, Lehigh Women Engineers, and Lehigh 360. Descriptions and the registration link are available on our webpage.

If the program fee is a concern, scholarship opportunities are available. The deadline to apply is June 22. More information can be found on the PreLUsion website.

2. Orientation Registration Form – Due June 30

Orientation is mandatory for all incoming students, and completing the Orientation Registration Form is an essential part of the preparation process. Students must log in to their student portal to complete the form (it has not been working from their Summer Checklist). The form collects key information, including:

  • Dietary restrictions and allergies
  • Family accommodation needs for move-in (e.g., mobility, hearing, or vision assistance)
  • Their selected restaurant for our Faux Friday event

Deadline: June 30. If your student has any trouble accessing the form, they are encouraged to contact our office directly.

3. New Summer Webinars for Families and Students

We’ve recently added several new live and recorded summer webinars that may be of interest to you and your student. These sessions are a great way to learn more about the Lehigh experience and get your questions answered. Upcoming topics include:

  • Talking to Your Student About Alcohol | Tuesday, June 17 at 7:00 PM EDT
  • Campus Safety Information & Resources | | Wednesday, June 18 at 7:00 PM EDT
  • Meet Lehigh’s Inclusive Excellence & Belonging Team | Monday, June 23 at 7:00 PM EDT
  • Tech Talk for First-Year Students & Families | Wednesday, June 25 at 7:00 PM EDT

You can view the full schedule and register at: go.lehigh.edu/webinars