Jul 15, 2026   |  INCOMING STUDENTS

As the Associate Vice President & Dean of Students at OHIO, I am so excited to welcome you all to our Bobcat family. 

We are getting ready for Athens to come to life with the return of our students and the arrival of all of our new Bobcats like you. You'll be hearing from us often! You'll receive this newsletter from the Dean of Students office every other week during the school year with tips, resources and exciting opportunities to help introduce you to life at OHIO. You're going to get a lot of information and ways to get engaged as the school year approaches. Check your email, follow official OHIO social media accounts and download the Go OHIO app to stay in the loop. 

You're about to take a big step as you arrive at college, and I'm here along with our New Student and Family Programs team to support you on this journey. Get ready for a year filled with new experiences, learning and growth.

See you soon!

Kathy A Fahl, MSW
Associate Vice President & Dean of Students

Get ready to explore your passions and kickstart your college experience. There are plenty of ways to find your community through The Center for Student Engagement & Leadership with more than 550 student organizations and events for all interests, from fitness to creative pursuits to cultural groups and more.

We know you're doing all you can to prepare, but there's a lot of information and updates as fall semester approaches! Make sure you're following official OHIO sources:

Looking for other info, helpful tips or anything else? Reach out!

1. Finalize or complete your Vaccination Information Form. You are required to report meningitis and hepatitis vaccination information. Visit your Housing Self-Service page, select the ‘Contracts and Applications’ tab, and choose the Vaccination Information Form. This must be completed prior to your arrival.

2. If you're living on campus, review fall move-in information in the online arrival guide.

3. Update or complete contact information. Update your ‘Missing Persons Contact’ information on your Housing Self-Service page under ‘Personal Information.’

4. Load Bobcat Cash to your OHIO ID to use in student labs and libraries for printing, laundry, shopping and eating!

5. Change your meal plan. You can adjust your meal plan up to the second Friday of fall semester (September 4 at 4 p.m.). After that, you can only increase your meal plan. Changes to meal plans must be made via Housing Self-Service. Off-campus and commuter students have meal plan options too!

6. Review the packing checklist to see what to bring (and what not to bring) if you are living on campus. On-campus students should also review the Student Housing Handbook so you are familiar with all the policies, procedures and resources you'll have access to while living on campus.

7. Plan your route. Review your schedule and start planning daily routes to class. If you're commuting you can still purchase a parking pass and register for the commuter lounge. 

Renting a bed loft is an easy way to maximize your living space and make your room feel more like home. Place your order by July 28 to guarantee a loft delivered and installed before move-in. Not sure if your room can accommodate a loft? Visit our bed loft website before you order. 

Move-in day should be memorable and stress-free. Save yourself time and headaches by shipping items to our partners, Storage Scholars, over the summer. They receive your packages, notify you, and deliver everything to your room before you arrive on campus. Students should sign up for their services by August 1.

Going to college is an adventure, so why not start it that way? New Adventures is Ohio University's outdoor orientation program for incoming first-year students, and no previous outdoor experience is required! Sign up is open through August 4 for the remaining trip. 

At Ohio University, well-being encompasses all we need to grow, engage, connect, and succeed in both life and learning. THRiVE is OHIO’s ongoing well-being initiative, designed to help every Bobcat engage with health and well-being in meaningful and manageable ways.

From small, practical steps to comprehensive care, THRiVE helps Bobcats connect to what they need to live well and learn well. 

 →  Well-being at OHIO

August 20-30

Your first week on campus is packed with events to get to know Athens, meet other students and welcome you to OHIO! Welcome Week is open to everyone, including our returning Bobcats, whether you are living on or off campus. 

 →  More info

September 25-27

Family Weekends are a time to welcome family and friends to Athens and explore all your favorite parts of campus. Events will be added to the calendar closer to the weekend, but help your guests make travel plans now!

 →  Family Weekends dates