Welcome Week is an orientation experience designed to help first-year and transfer students make a successful transition into the Luther community.
Save the dates: Saturday, August 30–Saturday, September 6, 2025
During this orientation experience, you will:
- Learn more about Luther and the college’s academic and community expectations
- Interact in meaningful ways with other new students, faculty, and staff
- Gain tools and knowledge to help students be successful
- Build a community that will support, respect and protect one another
Do you need assistance like closed captioning, an interpreter, or transportation due to mobility needs? Contact Disability Services at 563-387-1481 or disabilityservices@luther.edu.
The schedule for 2024 is posted below. The Welcome Week 2025 schedule will be posted this summer. It is subject to change; beginning in mid-August, students will have their own interactive schedules on KATIE.
Welcome Week 2024
| 8 a.m. -12 p.m. | Residence Hall Check-In Luther College athletic teams will be there to assist you and your family as you move in. Your resident assistant (RA) will make themself available to help you get connected and settled in. |
| 9 a.m.- 5 p.m. | Luther College Book Shop Is Open Dahl Centennial Union, Main Floor |
| 10 a.m.-2 p.m. | College Offices and Resources The following offices and resources will be available in the Main Lobby of Dahl Centennial Union: Center for Global Learning, Center for Intercultural Engagement and Support, Decorah Area Tourism, Financial Aid, Library, Music Department, Parents and Family Council, Student Accounts, Student Employment. Student Engagement, Student Success (including Career Center, Center for Academic Enrichment, Disability Services, and TRIO Student Support Services), and Technology Help Desk. Students will be able to check their SPO mailbox at the Mail Center until 4 p.m. |
| 2-3 p.m. | A Luther Welcome Mandatory for all new students, families invited | Center for Faith and Life (CFL), Main Hall Luther traditions begin as the college welcomes you to the community. |
| 5-9 p.m. | Connect with Your Residence Hall Floor (5 p.m.) for dinner, Floor Meetings (7 p.m.) and Welcome Skits (8 p.m.) Mandatory for all new students | Begins in the residence hall and continues in the Center for Faith and Life (CFL) at 8 p.m. Transfer students will meet at the Luther Bell 5 p.m. and join other new transfer students for dinner and group activities. At 8 p.m. they will join all new students for the Welcome Home RA Skits at the CFL. |
| 9 p.m. | Marty's After Dark: Ice Cream Social Marty's Grill, Lower level of Dahl Centennial Union As our first social gathering of the academic year, the Student Activities Council (SAC) invites all new students to enjoy ice cream and game night in a favorite campus location. |
| 9:30 a.m. | Sunday Worship Center for Faith and Life (CFL), Main Hall New students, returning students, families, and all members of the Luther College community are invited to a special worship service to begin the academic year. All faith backgrounds and denominations are welcome to attend. Interested students are invited to participate in worship by singing in a pick-up choir that will rehearse prior to worship at 8:45 a.m. Everyone else is invited to a time of coffee fellowship at 8:45 a.m. on the CFL steps. |
| 11 a.m.-5 p.m. | Luther College Book Shop Is Open Dahl Centennial Union, Main Floor |
| 11 a.m.-12 p.m. | Your Luther Life 101 Mandatory for all New Students | Center for Faith and Life (CFL), Main Hall
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| 1-3 p.m. | Awareness Through Performance (ATP) and Your Luther Life Continued Mandatory for all New Students | Center of Fine Arts (CFA), Jewel Theatre, and Jenson-Noble Hall of Music, Noble Recital Hall
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| 3-7 p.m. | Choir Auditions for Aurora or Norskkor Jenson-Noble Hall of Music For detailed information, visit the Choral Auditions page. |
| 4-6 p.m. | Rec Services: Hike to Dunning's Spring Meet at the Luther Bell Walk to Decorah’s most well known park to hike and explore near the waterfall! Wear clothes and shoes that could get dirty, bring a water bottle, and wear sunscreen. |
| 7-8 p.m. | Playfair The Ultimate Icebreaker Mandatory for First-Year Students | Farwell Clearing Team building and entertainment, all rolled into one! |
| 8:15 p.m. | S'mores and Songs Davidson Møteplass Join the Office for College Ministries and representatives from faith-based student organizations for s'mores, fellowship, and favorite worship and campfire songs. |
| 9:30-11 a.m. | Paideia Session Mandatory for new students registered for Paideia | Paideia Classroom (see location details in KATIE) Get connected to your excellent faculty, who are excited to meet you in a prerequisite Paideia session! You'll also get to know your classmates, explore the expectations of a Luther education, and discuss your assigned summer reading. |
| 12:30-1 p.m. | Fika [coffee+treats] Steps of the CFL Fika is a Swedish word for taking a real break in your day for coffee and a snack. Students, advisors, and the whole campus community are invited to grab afternoon coffee/lemonade and a treat. Looking ahead, join College Ministries for Fika during chapel break every Monday that classes are in session. |
| 1-2:30 p.m. | Get to Know Your Advisor Mandatory for New Students | CFL and Farwell Clearing During this time you will connect with your Luther College academic advisor, whom you met with at ROAD. This person will remain your advisor for at least the fall semester. Please have you schedule close by so that you can create a follow-up meeting. |
| 3-4:30 p.m. | Campus Scavenger Hunt Learn about resources on campus and in the Decorah area as you join your team on an interactive scavenger hunt! |
| 4:30-6 p.m. | Rec Services: Walking Tour of our Natural Areas Meet at the Luther Bell Walk through Anderson Prairie and Hickory Ridge Woods to discover Luther’s easily accessible trail system. |
| 4:30 p.m. | First-Year and Transfer String Players Meeting Orchestra Room, Jenson-Noble Hall of Music Q&A with members of the Luther College string faculty. Topics include lessons, chamber music, orchestra auditions, lockers, and practice room policies. Required of all first-year and transfer string players. |
| 6:30-7:30 p.m. | Transfer Student Event Meet at the Luther Bell Receive tips for a successful transition to Luther College from current transfer students and celebrate the start of a new year together. Dinner will be provided. |
| 7:30 p.m. | Bingo Night Bentdahl Commons | Rain location: Marty's Grill Students are encouraged to bring their own blankets or towel to sit on. Win some Luther gear! |
| 10 a.m.-12 p.m. | Diversity and Inclusion | Dr. Joshua Fredenburg Mandatory for all new students | CFL, Main Hall This highly interactive workshop will help students define what is diversity, equity and inclusion, build their cultural and social awareness, understand cross-cultural relationships, develop intercultural competencies, and increase their capacity to build an inclusive community and importance of belonging. |
| 2-3 p.m. | Academic Advising Sessions: Information on Areas of Study Mandatory for all First-year Students | Location details in KATIE Choose the advising session that most closely reflects the area of study you may wish to pursue. If you are still exploring possible majors and minors, a “still exploring” session is available. |
| 4-6 p.m. | Rec Services: Views from Pulpit Rock Meet at the Luther Bell Walk to Pulpit Rock and discover amazing views of Decorah. |
| 6-8 p.m. | Activities Carnival Farwell Clearing (weather permitting) Find out how you can get involved in student organizations at Luther! Join us on the library lawn to meet with student organization leaders from our 80+ student groups! There will also be music, food and fun! |
| 8 p.m. | Be the Light, Ring the Bell Meet on the steps of the CFL Mark the beginning of your Luther journey with this candle-lighting ceremony, which culminates in an opportunity for each new student to ring the Luther Bell in celebration! |
| 7 a.m.-5 p.m. | First Day of Class Belfie What’s a belfie, you ask? It's a selfie at the Luther Bell, to remember your first day of classes. Norkie will be available at 7:30 a.m., 10 a.m., and 12 p.m. |
| 10:30 a.m. | Opening Chapel Break CFL, Main Hall | Pastor Melissa Bills and Music by Dr. Alex Meszler Chapel break takes place each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday of the academic year from 10:30-10:50 a.m. During Monday chapel break, we join in Fika on the CFL steps. During Wednesday and Friday chapel, we welcome a variety of speakers and musical ensembles, representing a variety of religious traditions. All are welcome. |
| 7-8 p.m. | PAIDEIA Author Q & A required Mandatory for new students registered for Paideia | CFL, Main Hall Session begins promptly at 7:00PM. On-stage Interview with the author of this year's PAIDEIA Summer Read. |
| 8:30 p.m. | Contra Dance Outside the Union and CFL Join us for a night of live folk music and large group line dancing where you are guaranteed to meet new people, learn a few new dance moves, and endless amounts of laughter and fun! |
| 9:40-11 a.m. | Opening Convocation Mandatory for all new students | CFL, Main Hall (Students, please line up under the pergola of Bentdahl Commons) The college marks the beginning of the new year with an official welcoming of new students into the community. Oscar Hokeah, author of the summer reading 'Calling for a Blanket Dance', will be this year’s Opening Convocation speaker. |
| 10:30 a.m. | Chapel Break with College Ministries CFL, Main Hall Chapel break takes place each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday of the academic year from 10:30-10:50 a.m. During Monday chapel break, we join in Fika on the CFL steps. During Wednesday and Friday chapel, we welcome a variety of speakers and musical ensembles, representing a variety of religious traditions. All are welcome. |
| 9:00 p.m. | Marty's After Dark: Dante's Disko Marty's Grill, Lower level of Dahl Centennial Union Dance your first Friday night away at our first Dante’s Disko of the year! This has been a crowd favorite event for students to hang out, dance, and listen to their classmates DJ. |
| 10 a.m.-1 p.m. | Destination Decorah Meet at the front of the Dahl Centennial Union Spend some time in Downtown Decorah to see what opportunities are available to you! Students can either walk downtown or use one of two shuttles leaving from the Union. |
| 8:00 p.m. | Silent Disco Bentdahl Commons | Rain Location: Marty’s Grill Be a part of the hottest trend to hit the streets! The only event where people can party while listening to music through an interconnected network of wireless headphones instead of the same old speaker system. This has become a favorite welcome week tradition! |
Office of Student Engagement
Dahl Centennial Union 266
700 College Drive
Decorah, Iowa 52101
Phone: 563-387-1020