Parent and Family Orientation
We are delighted that your student has decided to attend Simmons and join our community.
September Orientation
First-Bite Orientation for students will be held Friday 8/29 - Monday, September 1, 2025. Parents and Families of all new and transfer students are invited to attend the University Welcome at 4pm on 8/29, which will be followed by a family dinner at Bartol Dining hall with themed New England city stations at 5:30pm before your departure.
If you're on campus early, please note that there are happenings all day long on our Academic campus! See below for the first-day schedule, dining opportunities, available offices on 8/29, and a quick peek at what you're students will be up to this weekend!
Move-In Day Schedule and First-Bite Orientation Day 1: Friday 8/29
Here is the schedule for the big day!
8:30-2:30pm: Move-in for residential students (residential students received detailed communication about move-in from the Res Life team on August 1st). If your student moved in early due to participation in an on-campus program, you are welcome to join in on any of the festivities below!
Campus Tours: 10am and 2pm: Head to the 5th floor of Drinan Hall (formerly School of Management) for a 1-hour tour of our campus with a Simmons Ambassador.
1-1:45pm: "Tips for Parents" session: (MCB 151, Academic Campus)
Rae-Anne Butera, Vice President for Student Engagement & Dean of Students, and Christy Lusiak, Director of the Center for Leadership and Engagement, are back to deliver their presentation from June for those who missed it, but all parents are welcome to join for any last-minute questions.
3-4pm: Commuter Check-In (Holmes Sports Center, Residence Campus). If you or your student is driving, park at 1 Palace Rd (Academic Campus) and walk over to Residential Campus (15 minutes).
4-4:30pm: University Welcome (Holmes Sports Center, Residence Campus)
4:30-5:00pm: Students connect with their Orientation Leaders. Parents and families can stay in the gym! Members of the Orientation Staff will be available to answer any last questions, and we’ll have a station where you can create a note or door decoration to leave for your student.
5:00-6:30pm: Themed Bartol Dinner on Residential Quad for all first-year + new transfer students and their families.
6:30-7pm: Time to say goodbye to your student!
Daytime Dining Opportunities + Welcome Dinner
On the day of your students' move-in, Aramark Dining Services and the Division of Student Engagement, Success, and Diversity invite you to join us for a meal. Since move-in times vary, you’ll receive a ticket at registration (a maximum of 4 per family) that is redeemable for a meal (breakfast or lunch) on either our Academic or Residential Campus during the day. Feel free to dine in our all-you-care-to-eat Bartol dining hall on the Residential campus or head over to Common Grounds on the Academic Campus where campus partners will be available to answer any last-minute questions. All are welcome at our Family Dinner in Bartol at 5pm.
Breakfast:
- Bartol Hall (Residential Campus): 8am-10am
- Common Grounds (Academic Campus): 8am-11am
Lunch:
- Bartol Hall (Residential Campus): Open 11:30am-1:30pm
- Common Grounds (Academic Campus): 11am-2pm
For planning purposes, please let us know if you will be joining us for breakfast / lunch and/or dinner by 8/25.
- Card Office (Main College Building, 2nd floor): 8:00am-4:00pm
- Student Financial Services (Main College Building, 2nd floor): 8:30am-4:00pm
- Advising Drop-ins with Cindy Firestein, (LeFavour Hall, 1st floor): 10am-12pm
- Bookstore (Main College Building, Ground Floor): 9:00am-5:00pm
- Technology (Main College Building, Ground Floor): 8:30-4:00pm
- Public Safety (Palace Road Building, 1st floor): 8:30am-4:30pm
- Health Center (no clinical services) (Main College Building 160): 10:00am-3:00pm
- Center for Student Success (LeFavour Hall, 1st floor): 8:30am-4:00pm
- Center for Leadership and Engagement (Drinan Hall/School of Management) C-130: 10am-1:00pm
The Inn at Longwood Medical
342 Longwood Ave, Boston
(617) 731-4700
Rooms available 8/28 - 8/31
Rate $239-$259/night
Longwood Medical Online Reservations
Cut-off date to reserve rooms: 7/29/2025
The Colonnade Hotel
120 Huntington Avenue, Boston
617-424-7000
Rooms available 8/28 - 8/31
Rate $299/night
Colonnade Hotel Online Reservations
Cut-off date to reserve rooms: 8/7/2025
Hilton Garden Inn@Brookline
700 Brookline Ave, Brookline, MA
617-935-0077
Rooms available 8/28 - 8/31
Rate $329 per night
Hilton Garden Inn Online Reservations.
Cut-off date to reserve rooms: 7/31/2025
2025 First Bite Orientation Program
See the full schedule for First Bite Orientation, your student's formal introduction to the Simmons University community!
Meet the Orientation Team
Orientation Leaders (OLs) are Simmons students who assist with all aspects of Undergraduate Orientation. The primary goal of Orientation Leaders is to provide incoming students with a positive first experience of Simmons.
If you are a Dix Scholar, please note that Orientation for Dix Scholars will be on August 28, 2025. More information will be provided from the Office of Undergraduate Advising in June.
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