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Welcome to Mount Holyoke!

Marcella Runell, Vice President for Student Life, Dean of Students - Monday, May 11

Must Read To-Do New Students

DATE CHANGE: We are thrilled to welcome you to Orientation! Please note the new arrival dates: International students arrive Aug. 31. Domestic students and Fearless First Academy participants arrive Sept. 3.

Important links: New Student Orientation; New Student Housing Webpage, New Student Housing Application; To-Do List; Campus Services

Dear Students,

Welcome to Mount Holyoke!

I’m absolutely thrilled to help you kick off this next chapter! By choosing Mount Holyoke, you are joining a bold, vibrant, intellectually curious and deeply caring community. Here, you’ll have the chance to explore your interests, hone your skills and challenge yourself with new experiences, all while being surrounded by a supportive network dedicated to your success and well-being.

You likely have lots of questions about what happens next — Orientation, Move-in, housing and how to get ready over the summer. This email covers the essentials for now, and we’ll continue to share more details over the coming months.

If there’s one thing you check from this email, make it your To-Do list — it has everything you need to get started.

We’ll keep the information coming all summer long. For now, take a deep breath, celebrate your achievement and start exploring the links below. Know that we are here to support you every step of the way.

If you have any questions, we're here to help! Please reach out to orientation@mtholyoke.edu.

On behalf of the entire community, #WelcomeMoHome! We can’t wait to meet you.

Warmly,

Marcella

Dr. Marcella Runell
Vice President for Student Life* and Dean of Students
Mount Holyoke College

*Soon to be Student Affairs

Watch my welcome video here!

Move-in and Orientation Dates

Aug. 31: Move-in for all international students

Shuttles from Bradley International Airport will be provided on Monday, August 31. To sign up for shuttle service, you must fill out the International Student Arrival Form no later than Aug. 15.

Aug. 31–Sept. 2: Pre-Orientation for all international students (full schedule to be shared in a future email).

Sept. 3 (8 am–noon): Move-in for Fearless First Academy participants and all other new students.

Fearless First Academy is a pre-orientation program for first-generation and/ or low-income students designed to give incoming new students and their families early opportunities to become acclimated to Mount Holyoke College and create a sense of community by providing students with. Students can self-identify and opt into the Academy. More details on how to apply will be sent in a future email!

Sept. 3–Sept. 7: New Student Orientation.

A full Orientation schedule goes live in July!

Housing & Accommodations

Complete the New Student Housing Application by Tuesday, June 23, at 11:55 pm ET. Don’t hit submit until it’s complete — you can save and return to the form anytime.

The form includes:

Your housing preferences.
A roommate matching profile.
Optional applications to up to 3 Living Learning Communities (LLCs).
- Learn about available LLCs (like First-Year Experience, Outdoor Adventure, Interfaith, Mi Gente and more).

Assignments: Expect an email with your room and roommate details in mid-July.

Housing Accommodations

Disability Services is the only designated office at the College for students to voluntarily disclose a disability, submit appropriate documentation for verification and request accommodations. Disability Services engages with you in an interactive process to determine reasonable accommodations and ensure an individualized accommodation process. Students are welcome to register with the office at any point during their time at the College. Establishing accommodations and a connection with Disability Services prior to arriving on campus often helps to facilitate a smooth transition into the fall semester.

To request housing accommodations, please register with Disability Services. Every summer, Residential Life and Disability Services meet for a summer round of housing placements. To be considered in this round of housing placements for the 2026-2027 academic year, students must be approved by June 24, 2026. Both returning and new students approved after this date will be placed on waitlists for room(s) that fit their accommodation needs.

More information about disability-related housing needs and accommodations are on Disability Service's my.mtholyoke page. Additionally, students can refer to our guide to requesting accommodations for additional details.

Please do not hesitate to call 413-538-2634 or email disability-services@mtholyoke.edu if you have questions about the application process.

Commuter and Frances Perkins Students

Local students living at home must complete the Commuter Exemption Form (must use your mtholyoke.edu address to fill out).
Frances Perkins students interested in housing should contact the FP Program by June 23. Please note that housing for Frances Perkins students is very limited and requesting housing is not a guarantee of placement.

Stay Connected

Check Your MHC Email Regularly
This is our primary way of reaching you! You’ll get updates from the Orientation team and other departments every 1–2 weeks. Be sure to log in and familiarize yourself with the systems outlined in the “Your MHC Account & Communication” section of the Summer To-Do List.
Map to MoHome: Summer Virtual Series

Starting in June, join us for virtual sessions covering everything from wellness to academics. Keep an eye on your email for Zoom registration links! Learn more about how to set up your MHC Zoom account as all details will go to your Mount Holyoke email account.
Social Media & ZeeMee
- ZeeMee: We hope you’ve already been connecting through ZeeMee! We look forward to continuing to chat, and our student influencers are excited to help answer questions and have some fun!
- Instagram: Be sure to follow @mtholyoke (the College’s official account), @MHCStudentLife (Student Life) and @mhc_2030 (Class of 2030) on Instagram. You’ll find helpful tips, fun content and important updates for all incoming students — including transfers and Frances Perkins scholars!

If you haven’t already, introduce yourself on the pinned introductory post and stay tuned for more chances to connect with each other.

Tag us! Use #WelcomeMoHome so we can share your excitement!

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