Through activities led by student Ropes Course Instructors at the Joshua L. Miner Ropes Course, new students built community and collaborative skills to prepare them for the year ahead.
Finding the Joys of Lawrenceville
Orientation Week is more than you might remember it being.
When Emilie Kosoff H’88 ’94 ’96 ’00 ’18 ’20 S’88 P’19 added Ross Gay’s Inciting Joy to her summer reading list, the acting co-head of school* and dean of faculty found inspiration in its pages – and ways to rethink Lawrenceville’s annual Orientation Week. Intrigued by the questions posed by Gay – “What incites joy?” and “What does joy incite?” – Kosoff brought those queries to a retreat for Student Council members and prefects.
“What was most striking about that weekend in June,” Kosoff recalled in her Convocation address, “was the joy that radiated from the group as they stretched themselves not only to reimagine orientation, but also the ways in which they could shape the community they want to see us as.”
That emotion — joy — served as a foundation to this year’s weeklong orientation, a comprehensive introduction for new (and a reminder to returning) students to the School’s culture, community values, and the essential skills needed for a successful Lawrenceville journey. Faculty, staff, and students from around the School developed and led an innovative and fun slate of orientation activities.
The goals of Orientation Week were twofold, according to Holli Olson, assistant dean of students: to build community and to give everyone the same clear understanding of community expectations.
“We want everyone to know that this is their home, and that they are seen as individuals,” Olson said. “We recognize that those things take time, and that they come with highs and lows, but there are supports in place to help them face those ups and downs. We have a lot of great resources, and it is OK to use those.”
From the dining halls to the Houses, across practice fields, stages, and rehearsal spaces, the camaraderie was evident. At the Harkness tables, students stretched their intellects around community expectations, wellness, the ethical use of both social media and artificial intelligence, and considered ways to agree or disagree respectfully about issues large and small. The joy was palpable at the Second Form Bowl Cup, House Olympics, Ropes Course Night Climbs, Big Red Farm Dinner, and more.
And trust me, Harkness conversations flow a lot better after everyone has gotten the chance to get to know one another.
The Orientation Week format gives returning students a space to reconnect with old classmates and an environment to welcome new students.
“And that is much better than having to make eye contact awkwardly around the Harkness table with a stranger,” said Najja King ’25, the Student Council wellness representative. “And trust me, Harkness conversations flow a lot better after everyone has gotten the chance to get to know one another.”
Community members have the responsibility to “ensure that we are not just reacting to change but actively shaping it, as making the future possible through our actions each day will inspire joy and a sense of home for every member of our community,” said Marquis Scott*, acting co-head of school, in his Convocation address.
This charge is something a student leader like King embraces on a more granular level.
“Lawrenceville isn’t just a place where we buckle down when it comes to studying for tests and completing homework,” she said. “This is a place where you can, and should, laugh with people, trip over yourself while you’re learning how to line dance, and be picked up by your Housemate’s helping hand.”
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*Emile Kosoff, dean of faculty, and Marquis Scott, assistant head of school for strategic initiatives, served as acting co-heads of school during Head of School Steve Murray’s fall-term sabbatical.