Dear newest members of the Triton Family:

Welcome to UC San Diego and the Triton family! You are about to embark upon an amazing journey of exploration as a member of the Tritons Class of 2013. Beginning with the application process and continuing through Orientation and Facebook connections, you are quickly becoming a member of this special community. Come mid-September, you'll begin your journey in earnest when you arrive for the Fall Quarter. Where to start?!

How about Welcome Week? We know how important it is for you to get your feet on the ground before you begin classes, so we've created almost a full week of activities and events designed to help you learn the ropes and get involved. We'll have a host of campus-wide events to get you connected. There's a dance and an Activities Fair, a Block party showcasing our diversity, a spirited College competition called UnOlympics, the Price Center Open House, and of course Meet the Beach. These all-campus events will be complemented by special College activities designed to help you learn the distinctive traditions of your own College and make lasting friends with your new peers. With your College mates you will take part in Convocation, a ceremony that serves as a bookend to Graduation. Convocation is your formal entry into the academic community, and by attending, your membership will be conferred. Rites of passage are an important part of academic life, so don't miss this one.

It can be hard to leave behind high school, where you'd mastered everything, knew everyone, and reached the top of the heap. Rest assured, though, that we are busy creating a place for you here. Orientation leaders, Resident Assistants, peer educators, and student organization officers, not to mention faculty and staff, are all eager to help you claim your place at UC San Diego. We're a big place, yet a friendly one, so if you need any help, just ask. We are putting the finishing touches on these programs and awaiting your arrival.

I and my colleagues throughout Student Affairs are dedicated to your well-being and success. We have created a place where you can contribute to and draw from a sense of community, where you can make your own mark and leave something lasting behind-and you'll learn about yourself and others through the process. Get ready to join one of the most remarkable communities anywhere. We can't wait!

All the best,

Penny Rue
Vice Chancellor-Student Affairs