Hobart and William Smith Colleges
EN-2: Student Orientation

Sustainability programming and activities are prominently included during first-year Orientation and are facilitated by an orientation team that has received sustainability training. The Office of Sustainability and student Environmental Representatives (EcoReps) also plan and coordinate various activities for incoming first years during Orientation to ensure new HWS students understand the Colleges’ commitment to sustainability. Sustainability experiences for first-year students at Orientation include a sustainability-focused lunch and meals throughout the weekend, receiving a reusable water bottle in their welcome packets, getting move-in assistance (including materials management), and receiving compact fluorescent lights at move-in, among other areas of sustainability guidance. Signage (e.g. recycling) also is placed throughout campus during Orientation. In addition, in 2015, the Colleges unveiled a “Go Green” video ahead of Orientation, outlining a range of important sustainability efforts taking place at HWS. The Office of Sustainability is examining the possibility of providing a sustainability session for incoming transfer students. Graduate students are usually continuing students that have already attended HWS for their undergraduate degrees, thus they are not specifically targeted for sustainability programming/orientation.