Hesston College will welcome students to campus and the start of the academic year with Opening Weekend Aug. 16 to 19.

Resident assistants returned to campus Aug. 9 for training and a weekend retreat. Members of the cross country, soccer and volleyball teams as well as Bel Canto Singers and aviation students arrived Aug. 13 for practices and to begin flight training.

Registration for new and returning off-campus students begins Thursday, Aug. 16.

New and returning on-campus students will move into their dorm rooms, go through registration and attend orientation sessions Friday and Saturday, Aug. 17 and 18.

Opening Weekend activities include Opening Celebration at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 17, at Hesston Mennonite Church. An ice cream social and Involvement Fair displaying clubs and other activities for student participation will follow the service.

A parent breakfast will be at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 18, along with parent orientation sessions.  The day’s festivities include a Performing Arts open house in Northlawn 109 from 11 a.m. to noon for students and parents wanting to learn what the music and theatre departments offer, a women’s soccer scrimmage versus Bethel College (North Newton) at 5 p.m. at Thresher Stadium on the Bethel College campus, a volleyball vs. alumni scrimmage at 6 p.m. in Yost Center and a men’s soccer intra-squad game at 7:30 p.m. on the Hesston College soccer field.

Sunday’s schedule features a 10:30 a.m. worship service with Hesston Mennonite Church. Other Sunday activities include Freshmen Games, a picnic for the campus community at 6 p.m. and the annual Mod Olympics at 7 p.m. on the soccer field.

See the Opening Weekend schedule here.