Ryan S. Brandenberg

From left, incoming freshmen Dorian Campisi, Tyler Nelson and Kristen Monastero pose with new "T" backpacks filled with information about life at Temple.

More than 500 future Owls flocked to temple’s Main Campus on June 25 and 26 to participate in the first of several new student orientation sessions to be held this summer.

The two-day program, which includes an overnight stay in a Temple residence hall, allows incoming Temple freshmen to familiarize themselves with the university they will call home in just a few short months.

Presentations cover a wide range of topics, including dining and meal plans, Diamond Dollars, Student Health Services and education abroad. Students also register for fall classes and have their photos taken for their OwlCard. Individual schools and colleges hold separate sessions offering discipline-specific information.

“It’s been fun. There’s so much to absorb,” said Angelica Cionci, of Philadelphia, an incoming photography major and graduate of the Arts Academy at Benjamin Rush.

At the end of the first day, the new students had a chance to meet their classmates at an ice cream social held on the lower level game room in Hardwick Hall.

Veronica Torres, from Morrisville, Pa., said she chose Temple because of its urban location and accompanying convenience.

“I feel like Philadelphia is a central hub to everywhere I like to go — its close to home, but easy to get to other cities like New York City and Washington,” she said.

This year’s orientation was the first to formalize parent participation, with parents invited to attend information sessions alongside their children. According to orientation program director Rebecca Breuninger, the new approach allows parents to become familiar with topics such as campus safety and student health services.

“For our office, it’s about partnering with parents to ensure the students have a successful transition to university life,” said Breuninger.

Orientation sessions continue throughout the summer, leading up to the start of classes on August 27.