The annual New Student Orientation and School-wide Welcome Social provides an interactive opportunity our incoming master's students to learn about program expectations, enrichment options, and degree requirements; discover campus; meet faculty and staff, returning students, and alumni; and most importantly, be welcomed into the School of Public Policy (SPP) community!

Details
Attendance at Orientation is required. Orientation will be immediately followed by our annual SPP Welcome Social. We strongly encourage you to attend the Welcome Social to get to know each other, meet returning students, and get to know the SPP faculty, staff and alumni. Several alumni will be receiving awards at the Social. Light refreshments will be served.

Schedule
2:30 - 2:45 PM: Check-in at Atrium, Hartford Times Building (HTB)
3:00 - 5:00 PM: Orientation programming
5:00 - 6:00 PM: Welcome Social

Location
Check-in will be in the Atrium of the Hartford Times Building (HTB). The entrance to the HTB is on Front Street across from the UConn Bookstore and Starbucks (maps and directions). From there students will walk to the Travelers Center for Arts & Culture room in the Hartford Public Library which is across the street from campus.

*Updated* Parking - Complete by August 14
UConn Hartford offers dedicated student parking in the Connecticut Convention Center and Connecticut Science Center garages. 2026-2027 student permits will go on sale for regional campuses on August 7 and for Graduate Assistants on August 4. Students need to purchase their parking permit and complete their Propark registration form found at park.uconn.edu before August 14. 

Permits are virtual. No physical permits will be issued. Enforcement is via License Plate Recognition (LPR) cameras. Please make sure your license plate information is entered correctly when purchasing a permit.

*There is free parking on most streets near the Hartford campus Monday through Friday after 6:00pm and on weekends. See kiosks at parking spaces for free parking availability.

What to Wear
Attendees will be walking between the Hartford Times Building (HTB) and the Hartford Public Library (HPL).  Please wear comfortable shoes and dress appropriately for the weather. 

T-Shirt Request -Submit by July 1
Students will receive their free SPP t-shirt and SPP swag at Orientation. Complete our t-shirt form by July 1 to request your size.

Questions? Contact us at publicpolicy@uconn.edu or Catherine Guarino, Director of Student and Academic Affairs, at catherine.guarino@uconn.edu. 

We look forward to meeting you!