Student Communications

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In our efforts to provide support for our students' transition to campus each August, we believe clear and comprehensive communication is essential. Beginning each May, students will begin to receive email communications to their Lehigh email addresses containing helpful checklists, resources and timelines. Below is a log of all those emails that have been sent so students and their families can stay up to date on the latest official communications to reference if needed. 

Summer 2024 Communication

May 7: First-Year Welcome Kit: Your Lehigh Experience Starts Here

Welcome to Lehigh and the Class of 2028! We are thrilled you are joining us. The Office of First-Year Experience is here to help you make your transition successful. We'll communicate throughout the summer to help you prepare for your arrival in August and continue to support you throughout your first-year. We want you to know that we are here to answer your questions and help you figure out how you'll make the most of your Lehigh journey.

Welcome Kit

The Welcome Kit is a helpful publication you should carefully review for everything you need to know over the summer to be prepared for August! It's important you read these pages carefully. A printed copy is in the mail!

Lehigh Student Portal

The Lehigh Student Portal (go.lehigh.edu/lehighportal) is your one-stop-shop for important information. On Tuesday, May 14, you will be given access to new information on the portal. This page is just for first-year students and has been created to help you keep everything organized using the Summer Checklist. The Summer Checklist includes links to forms you must complete, important information to review, etc. and will ensure you don't miss any important deadlines over the summer. Please note that there is no set time the portal will go live - it is a process and we will send an email when the content should have switched over.

Email Reminder

Your Lehigh email will be ready for use Tuesday, May 14. Beginning May 15, ALL official university communications will be sent to your Lehigh email. Be sure to check your Lehigh email account often.

PreLUsion Registration

For those of you interested in registering for one of our preLUsion programs, please note the link will go live at 3:00 PM EDT both on the summer checklist in the portal and on our prelusion webpage. This is an attempt to accommodate a multitude of time zones. Scholarships are now available and based on need. Please apply through the prelusion webpage.

Save the Date!

The Summer Webinar Series will kick off next week! Please save the date for the Kick-Off to the Summer Webinar Series with the OFYE which will be held on zoom on Tuesday, May 14 at 7:00 PM EDT. If you are interested in learning more about the Housing Contract process, the Housing Services will  host a webinar on Wednesday, May 15 at 7:00 PM EDT. Both sessions will be recorded and available afterwards.

We will continue to communicate with you via email, so be sure to check your email often this summer. You can always contact us at the OFYE anytime questions come up at fye@lehigh.edu or (610) 758-1300.

 
May 13: Announcing the Summer Webinar Series

As an incoming student, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed by the items to do on the checklist, the email coming into your inbox, and the excitement of coming to campus and starting this new adventure. Our Summer Webinar Series will introduce you to a variety of campus resources, provide support on things that will be helpful before arrival, and introduce you to campus partners and administrators who will be instrumental in your transition and success. 

Summer Schedule

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

Office of the First-Year Experience Welcome & Summer Webinar Kick-Off. Tuesday, May 14 at 7:00 P.M. EDT

Completing your Housing Contract, Wednesday, May 15 at 7:00 P.M. EDT

Accommodations 101: Successfully Navigating the Transition for Students with Disabilities, Monday, June 3 at 11:00 A.M. EDT

It’s Roommate Selection Time, Wednesday, June 5 at 7:00 P.M. EDT

Academic Advising & Support for Students, Thursday, June 13  at 7:00 P.M. EDT

Tech Talk for First-Year Students and Families, Wednesday, June 26 at 7:00 P.M. EDT

Understanding your Housing, Wednesday, July 3 at 7:00 P.M. EDT

Lehigh University Campus Safety Information and Resources, Tuesday, July 9 at 6:00 P.M. EDT

Fraternity & Sorority 101, Wednesday, July 17 at 6:00 P.M. EDT

Are you Move-In Ready?, Monday, July 22 at 7:00 P.M. EDT

Bursting the Lehigh Bubble: Getting to Know South Bethlehem, Your New Home, Tuesday, July 30 at 6:30 P.M. EDT

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

 
June 4: An In Depth Look at Housing, Dining, & More

It’s June, the school year is coming to an end, and there are exciting things on the checklist for your student to complete to continue preparing for their arrival.

Housing Information

The housing contract went live on your housing self-service portal and will be open until June 7. If you filled it out and want to change your preferences, you can simply fill it out again. If you missed the Housing Contract webinar, you can watch the recording here or visit the Housing Services website for step by step information on what to do. 

Roommate matching will open on June 11 and close on June 22. There will be an additional webinar to walk you through the process this week on June 5 at 7:00 PM EDT. They can sign up on the Summer Webinar webpage. The recording will be posted by the end of the week.

For students with medical conditions that impact your ability to dine well on campus, we strongly encourage a conversation with our Registered  Dietitian, Executive Chef, and/or General Manager.  In many instances, our dining team can easily assist with special needs. We may require additional medical documentation to enable us to develop a more specific meal plan accommodation. In this situation, please visit the Office of Disability Services for details and instructions on how to submit a meal plan accommodation request.

Summer Webinar Series

We have helpful webinars coming up in the month of June. Please sign up on our Summer Webinar Series webpage, or you can check out the recording a few days later if you are unable to attend.

  • It’s Roommate Selection Time - RESCHEDULED TO SUNDAY, JUNE 9 at 7:00 PM EDT
  • Academic Advising  & Support for Students - Thursday, June 13, 2024 at 7:00 PM EDT
  • Tech Talk for First-Year Students & Families - Wednesday, June 26 at 7:00 PM EDT

Summer Checklist Reminders

Below are a few highlights but please be sure to return to the full list at go.lehigh.edu/lehighportal

  • Orientation Registration Due June 30 - Orientation is mandatory for all students but this form helps us gather some additional information including any physical accommodations your family may need when visiting for move-in, your restaurant choice for Faux Friday, your dietary restrictions, etc.
  • Student Health Forms Due July 15 -  forms must be signed by your doctor; vaccinations must be entered on the patient portal also

Don’t forget to continue to revisit the full Summer Checklist on the portal for May, June and July! 

 
June 11: Sign Up Now: PreLUsion Registration Filling Up Quickly!!

PreLUsion, a collection of ten optional pre-orientation programs, is designed to jump-start your college experience! It welcomes you to campus 3 days before Orientation begins and allows you to connect to Lehigh by engaging with a smaller community of students and staff who share similar interests. 

Programs are filling quickly! If you are interested in participating, please be sure to fill out the registration as soon as possible.

If the cost of a preLUsion program is difficult to cover, there are opportunities to receive scholarship money. The application is available on our prelusion website. The deadline to apply is June 23. 

Here's a preview of some of the exciting programs you can join that still have spots available!

Arts Alive
Calling all artists and arts-lovers! Meet with the Campus Engagement Manager and student leaders of Zoellner Arts Center to get a picture of the arts at Lehigh. Check out presentation from local arts leaders and get a backstage tour of Zoellner!

GlobaLehigh
Explore the global side of Lehigh by networking with Lehigh alumni working in international careers, meeting diplomats, and getting a behind the scenes tour of the
United Nations.

C.L.I.M.B
Join us for the C.L.I.M.B. (Creating Leaders Invested in Mentorship & Belonging) Mentor Program preLUsion, a unique opportunity designed specifically for incoming students who are passionate about mentorship, leadership, belonging and the fraternity and sorority community!

Lehigh 360
Lehigh 360 will introduce you to all of the incredible high-impact, beyond the classroom learning opportunities that Lehigh has to offer - opportunities in creative inquiry, entrepreneurship, global engagement, the arts, community service, study abroad, research, leadership and beyond!

LehighMED
Get an inside look in the field from medical experts and world renowned healthcare networks. Meet the Lehigh Emergency Medical Services (LUEMS), a group of over 40 volunteer students that respond to on-campus medical emergencies, and get connected to an incredible network on-campus and in the local community.
​​​
Volunteer Experience (VE)
Immerse yourself in your new community by serving agencies in the Lehigh Valley. Community-oriented students will guide you through volunteer projects and fun events.

Check out full descriptions of the programs on the preLUsion website.

June 13: An In Depth Look at Course Registration Preparation

Course registration is in about one month . This can be both exciting and overwhelming to decide your college courses for the first time. While you may not be here in Bethlehem, there are so many resources and people here to help! We hope this email streamlines all of the resources that you already have at your fingertips.

Advising

A Lehigh staff member in your advising unit will reach out to you via your Lehigh email address. They will remind you of resources available to you and offer to assist you as you explore and decide which courses you should register for.  There will be virtual advising sessions OR webinars available during June depending on your college. Don’t forget there is the Academic Advising & Support for Students webinar TONIGHT at 7:00 PM EDT. The recording will be available by early next week on the website.

Preparing for Registration

Registration will start between July 15-17 and will close on July 26. You will receive an email in early July with your exact day and time. To prepare for the process, check out the following resources:

What To Do When...

Deciding which courses to take in fall? Review your course packet, check the portal and your email for additional information, see the first-year enrollment website for sample schedules, and contact your academic unit.

Have questions about utilizing the registration system? Review the First-Year Enrollment website for videos on how to utilize the registration system and contact Registration & Academic Services.

Having trouble during the registration period? Use the Live Chat on the Registration & Academic Services webpage to talk with someone in the moment.

Schedule Changes

Still feeling nervous even after you’ve registered? Don’t worry! You will have the opportunity to meet with a college representative on Friday, August 23 during Orientation for any last-minute questions and course changes. Students can continue making schedule changes through the first week of the semester, so there’s plenty of time to ensure that you have an appropriate course schedule.

Disability Support Services Documentation

Students with disabilities who would like to apply for reasonable accommodations and services should begin the interactive process today to ensure that all reasonable accommodations are in place by the start of the fall semester. Students who wait to apply for accommodations until just prior to the start of the fall semester may experience delays, so it is recommended that students begin the process and submit documentation as soon as possible. 

To get started, students should register with Disability Support Services by completing the Disability Support Services Registration form. This form allows students to upload documentation with initial registration if they would like, but documentation can also be submitted afterwards. Next, students should submit a copy of their current disability documentation from their physician, clinician, or diagnostician.More information about documentation guidelines can be found on the Disability Support Services website. DSS engages in an interactive process and reviews requests for reasonable accommodations on a case-by-case and class-by-class basis, so after the initial documentation evaluation is complete, DSS will reach out during the summer to schedule an appointment to discuss next steps. 

If you have questions about how Disability Support Services assists students or about the interactive process, please call them at 610-758-4152 for more information.

 
June 27: Updates & Reminders from the OFYE

Orientation is just two months away! Don’t forget to continue to revisit the Summer Checklist on the portal for important links, surveys, and contracts.

Orientation Registration Due June 30!

Orientation is required for all incoming students and will provide you with opportunities to meet your peers, learn about campus and academic resources, and settle in at campus. Registration gives us some additional information to make your experience the best it can be. If you have not already filled out this form in the June section of your Summer Checklist, please do so as soon as possible! Don’t forget to also use the signup genius within the form to select your Faux Friday restaurant

Attend a Sendoff Near You!

Each year, alumni and parents across the country host student Sendoff to welcome incoming students and families to Lehigh. These informal gatherings are a chance to learn more about Lehigh, meet your fellow classmates, and get tips on campus, classes, and more from the Mountain Hawks that came before you. Find the nearest Sendoff to you and register to attend!

Campus Mail Reminder

As you prepare for move-in, check out the following packing list for things to bring and things not to bring. We wanted to highlight that packages will not be accepted at the Mail Center until August 1. You will be able to pick up packages on the day you arrive. The mail center does not accept packages over 70 lbs. Please see the mail center webpage or call (610) 758-4193 with additional questions.

Summer Webinars

Don’t forget to register for future sessions or watch recordings of the Summer Webinar Series this summer! Sessions will introduce you to a variety of campus resources, provide support on things that will be helpful before arrival, and introduce you to campus partners and administrators who will be instrumental in your transition and success.

July 2: An In Depth Look at the Health & Wellness Center

The Health & Wellness Center’s mission is to provide high quality, compassionate medical care, respect individual differences in a confidential environment, and give students the knowledge and ability to treat themselves for minor illnesses and injuries. Our dedicated, professional staff provides acute and ongoing care to approximately 6,000 undergraduate students and more than 2,000 graduate students. 

We offer a host of services, including acute care, routine examinations, lab services and reproductive and sexual health services. To learn more , please visit our Services.

Lehigh University requires that  undergraduate and graduate students be covered by adequate medical insurance or enroll in the university-sponsored plan. The Health & Wellness Center does not directly bill, nor receive payment from any insurance company. Most Health & Wellness Center services including office visits are provided at no charge. For services that do have an associated charge, students may pay cash or bill their bursar account. It is the student's responsibility to submit a claim to their health insurance company for reimbursement if applicable. Supporting documentation that may be required by insurance including receipts and encounter summaries are available on the Student Health Portal

Students can make appointments by calling the Health & Wellness Center, or through our online chat forum. For more information, please visit Making an Appointment.

Step by step instructions for incoming student paperwork are provided on our website. Healthcare providers must fill out and sign the paperwork sent home in the Welcome Kits. Students must complete all electronic forms in their student health portal. Students will enroll in or waive the Student Health Insurance plan. Finally, students should provide pictures of their insurance card in their student health portal.

Have additional questions? Check out the Health & Wellness Center incoming student FAQs.

July 9: An In Depth Look at Orientation

Orientation

You’ll say farewell to your family after the welcome lunch at 1:30pm, because Orientation will start at 2:00 on Thursday, August 22 and will run through Sunday, August 25. It is mandatory and will be helpful for your transition to familiarize you with campus resources, make connections and get you ready for a successful year. The official schedule will be available on our website in August and you will be able to follow along and create your own schedule in the guidebook app once you’ve received your Orientation group information. Please review the schedule on page 16 in the Welcome Kit if you are looking for more details about each day.

You will learn more about the Lehigh community and begin Crafting our Communities with Care, our theme for the year. We’ll talk a lot about this during Orientation as you begin to form relationships and think about how you will play a role in the Lehigh community. We are all here to support you and hope you will also do that for yourself and uplift others. 

Live the excitement from Move-In to Orientation before you arrive. Check out the OFYE youtube page to see what to expect!

Faux Friday & Reading is cLUtch!

We are also a part of the larger Bethlehem community and you’ll learn more about our home, South Bethlehem, and even hear from our mayor at your University Convocation. In the evening, you will be eating in a local restaurant (you should have selected one when you completed your Orientation Registration). You can take your food to go or pop over after your meal on the local greenway for some free ice cream and a relaxing and fun atmosphere. Don’t forget to bring a new (or gently used) copy of your favorite book from their childhood or adolescence for Reading is cLUtch! Write an inspirational message inside the front cover and we will collect these at the Greenway to share with the South Bethlehem kiddos.

The Rally

Dating back to 1945, when the Class of 1899 adopted the Class of 1949, each new class is presented with a class flag that shares the design and colors of their adopting class. Your class will be “adopted” by the alumni Class of 1978 and presented with your official class flag!  The flag is a symbol of the bond you’ll share with both your classmates and the alumni community.

Parent & Family Orientation

If you have visitors coming with you to campus, we hope they will join us! We will have a Family Welcome tent with information and refreshments outside of the Orientation Check-In at Iacocca Hall. We encourage families to stay and join us for Family Orientation that afternoon. Please see the Family Orientation Schedule for additional details. 

Are you attending an early arrival program? Don’t worry! We host the same Family Orientation on Monday, August 19. The times will vary slightly, but the schedule is available on our website.

Summer Webinar Series

You can still register for the remainder of the Summer Webinar Series to find out more about the following topics:

  • Lehigh University Campus Safety Information and Resources, Tuesday, July 9 at 6:00 P.M. EDT
  • Pursuing the Pre-Health Track: Meet the Pre-Health Director & Med Mentors, Thursday, July 11, 2024 at 5:30 P.M. EDT
  • Fraternity & Sorority 101, Wednesday, July 17 at 6:00 P.M. EDT
  • Are you Move-In Ready?, Monday, July 22 at 7:00 P.M. EDT
  • Bursting the Lehigh Bubble: Getting to Know South Bethlehem, Your New Home, Tuesday, July 30 at 6:30 P.M. EDT

Don’t forget to continue to revisit the Summer Checklist on the portal for May, June and July!

July 18: bLUeprint & Learning Outside the Classroom

Until now, your journey may have been outlined for you. You may have taken a predetermined path to arrive here at Lehigh. But this journey is different. This journey is directed by you. The path is yours to create, a blank page full of countless possibilities. You decide who you want to be, what kind of relationships you’ll build, and how you will make an impact in the community. And we hope bLUeprint will be a tool for you in that journey.

bLUeprint is all about making the most of your experiences. Just like your faculty have syllabi and goals for your classes, bLUeprint is like that for your learning outside of the classroom. We know that so much of our learning comes from those everyday moments and experiences in college – the conversations over dinner; interacting with your hallmates; your involvement in students clubs, research, internships; and everything in between. It is so easy to run from one thing to the next - to go four years without articulating exactly how you’ve grown and in what specific ways those moments have impacted you, your identity, and your trajectory. bLUeprint is meant to encourage those moments of pause and reflection. It is meant to encourage and challenge you to think deeply about where you come from, who you are and who you want to be. This is your opportunity to create your experience. 

The Five Foundations are the goals we want you to explore and question. 

  • Creative Curiosity encourages the exploration of new ideas and concepts. We want you to develop the skills necessary to be lifelong learners and innovative problem solvers. 
  • Self Concept encourages you to strengthen your self-worth by understanding your identities and values and expressing yourself authentically. 
  • Healthy Connections begin with taking care of yourself. It pushes you to reflect on your healthy and unhealthy connections, identify your personal needs and boundaries, and navigate relationships with empathy for yourself and others.
  • Critical Consciousness is the ability to understand and analyze societal structures and systems of oppression, and to take action towards social change. We challenge you to see the ways in which systems can perpetuate inequality, injustice and oppression. 
  • Strategic Adaptability recognizes that we are all navigating in constantly changing environments. We want you to build skills in problem-solving, flexibility, and decision-making by learning from failures and taking risks.

We want you to DISCOVER the Five Foundations and EXPLORE what they mean to you. We want you to CONNECT your ideas and experiences, and APPLY what you learn to real world issues and situations, but you won’t have to do that alone. There are people here to help you design the best possible college and post-college experience. They are all around you - at your orientation, in the residence halls, in offices and student organizations across campus. 

We’re excited to be a part of this journey with you!

July 26: Move-In Update from the OFYE & Housing Services

With move-in dates approaching, we are getting excited to welcome you to campus in less than 1 month! 

Move-In

Move-In day is Thursday, August 22, unless you are signed up for an early arrival program or varsity sport. These include programs like preLUsion, Marching 97, ROTC, LUSSI, RARE, Eco-Reps and International Student Orientation.

For those arriving for our traditional move-in day, there will be a team of volunteers to assist you! Please follow these directions when you arrive to assist us with traffic flow. You’ll check-in at Iacocca Hall on the Mountaintop campus between 8am and 11:30am to receive your parking pass and Orientation materials. Please note that if you arrive right at 8:00am it may take some time to get you processed. Your patience is appreciated. You will follow color-coded directional signage down the mountain to your students’ residence hall to pick up your keys and unload your belongings. 

Commuter student families are welcome to park at check-in and take a Lehigh Bus down to the Asa Packer Campus for Orientation.

All student health forms and paperwork must be complete before students can move in. You can see additional instructions about this process on the Health & Wellness Center website.

Packing

Packing can be made a lot easier when you know what to bring and what to leave at home. Use this packing list to help you make some of those decisions and check out the housing website if you need specifics on your residence hall room.  Please make sure all boxes, suitcases, bags, and other items are clearly labeled with your students’ name, building, and room number.

Parking

Your parking pass must remain displayed in your vehicle during the move-in process. Someone must stay with your car when you arrive at your residence hall. Staff, faculty and student volunteers will assist in unloading your car. Once your car is unloaded, you will move it to your designated campus parking garage to allow others to unload (follow the directional signage to the closest parking location).

MOOV Shuttles

Shuttles will be available on Asa Packer campus going from the parking garages up to the residence halls. These shuttle stops can be identified by large yellow Orientation flags. If parking is full on the Asa Packer campus, there is additional parking up at Mountaintop campus where you will check-in and shuttles that can transport you back down the mountain.

Summer Checklist Highlights

You should continue to return to your Summer Checklist on the portal for important links and reminders for each July and August!