Friday, September 3, 2021
1:45 pm – 3:15pm, Kohl Center
New Student Convocation is UW–Madison’s formal welcome ceremony for all new students. Come and experience the pride and spirit of UW–Madison with your entire incoming class. This event is required for all freshmen and transfer students.
Note: masks will be required for everyone inside the Kohl Center in accordance with current policy.
Do not bring backpacks, food, or beverages into the Kohl Center. Small purses (no bigger than 8.5 x 11 in.) and empty water bottles will be allowed in for this event.
Click here for the full carry-in policy.
Convocation Day Schedule
8:30 a.m. –12:30 p.m. –Academic Programming and Orientation: see schedule below for session times and locations.
12:00 p.m.–1:30 p.m. – Lunch provided by the Chancellor’s Office
1:45–3:15 p.m. – New Student Convocation at the Kohl Center
3:30 — 4:30 p.m. – New Student Ice Cream Welcome and Lawn Games, sponsored by The Wisconsin Alumni Association & Memorial Union
4:00 — 8:00 p.m. – Badger Welcome BBQ with University Housing, Gordon Dining Center and Four Lakes Dining Market: $6.99/housing resident, $9.99/ non-housing resident
8:00 p.m. — 12:00 a.m. – Night at Overture, Overture Center for the Arts, 201 State Street
School/College Orientation Sessions:
| School/College Name | Timing | Orientation Location |
| College of Agricultural and Life Sciences | between 9:00-11:00am | Allen Centennial Garden |
| School of Business – Direct Admit | 10:15am-12:15pm | Grainger Hall |
| School of Business – Pre-Business | Two sessions: 9:00-10:00am, 10:45-11:45am | Bascom Hall, Room 272 |
| School of Education | 9:00-10:15am (A-L), 10:15-11:30am (M-Z last names) | Education Building, 1st Floor |
| College of Engineering | 9:00am-12:00pm | Camp Randall Memorial Park |
| School of Human Ecology | 9:30am-11:45am | 2235 Nancy Nicholas Hall |
| College of Letters & Science
College of Letters & Science – Honors Program |
10:30am-11:30am
10:30am-11:30am |
Kohl Center
Humanities Building, Room 3650 |
| School of Nursing – Pre-Nursing | 10:00am-11:00am | Cooper Hall |
| School of Pharmacy – Pre-Pharmacy | 10:00am-11:30am | Room 2006 Rennebohm Hall |
| Cross-College Advising Service (CCAS) | 9:00am-12:00pm | online, DeJope, Witte, Ingraham Hall (choose a location) |
Chancellor’s Luncheon Locations
Lunch will be served on the lawn of Gordon Dining and Event Center. Students are encouraged to eat on the Kohl Center lawn.
For those students attending morning orientation with the College of Letters and Science (L&S), lunch will be served inside the Kohl Center.
New Student Convocation Event Program
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Where is my School/College orientation?
Reference the table to the left for a list of times and locations, or check your email (wisc.edu account) to confirm the details of your academic orientation.
What happens at Convocation?
At Convocation, you’ll hear remarks from Chancellor Blank and other members of university leadership, a student speaker, a professor, and several others.
You will see all your fellow classmates together for the first time until commencement at Camp Randall.
At the end of the ceremony, you’ll receive a copy of the year’s Go Big Read book too!
Can family members attend Convocation activities?
Convocation and the surrounding activities are intended to create community for new students. Keeping that in mind, we request that family members refrain from attending these events. The event will be streamed on the Parent and Family Facebook page for non-students who would like to watch.
How can I find disability accommodations?
The McBurney Disability Resource Center will host an accessibility suite in the Kohl Center for students who prefer to view the event in a smaller space.
The accessibility suite is wheelchair accessible and will have sight lines to the main video boards. Sign language interpreters will be provided remotely this year and be visible on separate monitors on the floor of the Kohl Center and in the suite.
We are also planning for captions to be displayed on a monitor on the floor of the Kohl Center as well as in the suite.
