Wick Weekend

August 28, 29, 30, 2026

Your journey on the Hill begins with Wick Weekend – three days of fun, food, new friends, and favorite traditions. This welcome celebration is designed to help you feel at home, right here at Hartwick College.

Highlights - 2026

2026 Wick Weekend Album on Facebook

Hartwick student volunteers helping new students move-in to residence halls

Members of Greek Life Helping Hands Move-In Volunteers with President Bongiorno

Three Hartwick College students sit at a table in a cafeteria, smiling.

Two smiling Hartwick students, a woman with curly hair and a man in a blue shirt making a peace sign, sit at a table with bingo cards and drinks in a busy common area with a 'Hartwick Hawks' sign in the background.

A group of smiling Hartwick students sitting around tables playing bingo during Wick Weekend for new students

Five people relaxing in Adirondack chairs on a grassy lawn next to Pine Lake, shaded by a large tree, with a forest and hills in the background.

Three young women at Pine Lake smiling and painting rocks at an outdoor table covered with art supplies.

Two people on homemade inflatable rafts on a lake, with a third person in a small boat in the distance on Pine Lake. The lake is surrounded by a green forest under a clear sky, with lily pads in the foreground.

Four Hartwick students in a small boat on a Pine Lake covered with lily pads, wearing life vests and paddling, smiling happily.

Seven young adults sitting in a circle on a wooden stage at Pine Lake, playing Jenga. One person is reaching for a block from the tall wooden tower.

Opening Convocation

First Walk - 2026

Hartwick new students with President Bongiorno, including Swoop the Hawks mascot, holding a signed banner that reads 'Founders Way Walk '26' outdoors on a college campus with hills in the background. A woman in a light blue hoodie waves to the camera.

A group of smiling new Hartwick students, mostly wearing light blue Hartwick hoodies, walk outdoors on a campus path during First Walk

Hartwick College new students many in light blue hoodies, walk on a paved path carrying a banner that reads 'Founders' Way First Walk '26' with signatures. A blue bird mascot- Swoop- is among them.

A group of Hartwick students wearing light blue Hartwick hoodies walk on a campus pathway-Founders' Way, with a historic brick building in the background during First Walk

Hartwick new students with Swoop the Hartwick College mascot pose outdoors on campus, many wearing light blue Hartwick hoodies during First Walk

A large group of students and staff, many wearing light blue Hartwick College hoodies, stand on a paved area in front of the Hartwick College building. They hold a banner reading 'Founders' Way First Walk '26'. The college mascot, a blue bird- Swoop, is among them.

New Friends

Move-In Day! Decorate your shared space and say hi to your neighbors. But don’t worry about having to lug a refrigerator or heavy suitcase up the stairs – student volunteers are ready to get you settled in.

Commuting from home this year? We want campus to be your home away from home. Every student activity, every fun event, every special meal and pop-up food event, every Hartwick resource is open to you. You’ll see, starting with Wick Weekend.

Whether you’re a First-Year or Transfer student, a campus resident or a commuter, Wick Weekend gives you lots of chances to meet your classmates and make friends. Grab something tasty in the Commons, play games in Stack Lounge, win prizes in activities across campus. This gorgeous campus is all yours. Make yourself comfortable.

Here to Help

There are lots of people here ready to answer your questions. We all remember what it's like to be new at Hartwick and want to help you get comfortable!

Your first days on campus will bring connections, including your Faculty Advisor and your Guidance Teams. You’ll join workshops on Wellness and Belonging, Academic Preparedness and Campus Life. You’ll experience opportunities and interactions with peers and professionals, which will help you launch your personal FlightPath. By the time you and your classmates arrive at the overlook on Founders’ Way, you’ll feel at home on this Hill.

There are so many great and time-honored traditions that come with being part of the Hartwick community: Matriculation and Opening Convocation, your first formal ceremony as a Hartwick student. After you join in for your class photo, you'll pick up your class shirt. You might even snag that coveted spot next to our mascot, Swoop!

Traditions

Throughout the weekend, you’ll take part in meaningful traditions that connect you to generations of Hartwick students. Join President Bongiorno for Opening Convocation on Friday afternoon, where you’ll officially mark the beginning of your college journey by signing the Matriculation Book, a lasting record of every new Hartwick student. You’ll also hear the ringing of the original 1815 Hartwick Seminary Bell, which is traditionally sounded only twice a year, at Opening Convocation and Commencement.

On Sunday evening, gather with your classmates for the First Walk up Founders’ Way, a symbolic step forward as you begin this new chapter. Classes begin the next morning, but during Wick Weekend, your only assignment is to relax, have fun and take your first steps toward a college experience shaped by purpose, community and life balance.

opening convocation

Wick Weekend Schedule - 2026

Friday, August 28

Incoming Student Check-In: 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Lambros Arena, Binder Physical Education Center
Family Goodbye: 1-1:30 p.m.
Meet Orientation Leaders for walk up to class picture: 1:30-1:45 p.m., Frisbee Field
Walk up to Elmore Field for Class Picture: 1:45 p.m.
Class Picture: 2-2:15 p.m., Elmore Field
Line up for Opening Convocation: 2:15-2:30 p.m., Lambros Arena
Opening Convocation: 2:30-4:00 p.m., Lambros Arena
Break: 4-5 p.m.
Meet the Faculty: 5:30-7 p.m.,The Commons, Dewar Union
Welcome to the Nest: 7-8 p.m., Slade Theatre, Yager Hall & Residence Halls
Welcome to College Big Prize Bingo: 8-10 p.m., The Commons, Dewar Union

Saturday, August 29

Safety and Wellbeing: 9-10 a.m., Slade Theatre, Yager Hall
Protect the Nest: 10-11 a.m., Slade Theatre, Yager Hall
Orientation Group Meetings: 11 a.m.-12 p.m., Various Locations
Lunch: 12-2 p.m., The Commons, Dewar Union
Shuttles to Southside/Walmart: 1-3 p.m., Shuttles run from upper Yager lot every 30 minutes with stops at Walmart, Southside Mall, and Hannaford
Pine Lake Escape! – Boating, Painting, Scavenger Hunt: 3-6 p.m., Shuttles run every 30 mins from upper Yager lot.
Dinner: 5-7 p.m., The Commons, Dewar Union
Hawk Cast-Evening Fun: 7:30-9 p.m.

Sunday, August 30

Brunch: 10 a.m.-1 p.m. The Commons, Dewar Union
Scavenger Hunt: 1:30-3:30 p.m., Various Locations
First Walk – Hoodie Giveaway: 3:45-4:30 p.m., Founders’ Way, Shineman Chapel House
Dibs with DIBAs: 4:30-5 p.m., Pergola, Founders’ Way
Dinner: 5-7 p.m., The Commons, Dewar Union
Roommate Agreements: 7:30-8 p.m., Residential Halls

Questions?

Email Us

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