New students, rest assured, that when you start college, all will fall into place. Falcon Days are orientation events designed to walk you through the process step by step.
There is no one size fits all when attending a university for the first time. Falcon Days are designed by CUW staff and faculty to help usher you and your parents through a complex process, easing the high school to college transition.
College bound
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in October 2024, 62.8 percent of 2024 high school graduates ages 16 to 24 were enrolled in colleges or universities. Enrolling in higher education is only one piece to a bigger puzzle when it comes to pursuing a degree. You (the student) need to be in an environment that fosters your professional and personal growth in all areas—mind, body, and spirit—in order to be successful. Concordia University Wisconsin offers a safe place for students to transition from home life. It is a place where lifelong friendships can develop and faith can flourish.
The main mission of Falcon Days is connection. As a new student, you may find yourself consumed and overwhelmed by the ongoing tasks associated with going to college like submitting a FAFSA, housing application, getting registered for classes, finding a roommate, etc. The list goes on and on. However, Kara Janowski, director of student engagement at the university, believes that students (and parents) who are coming in nervous about the process deserve to leave from this event excited. If the energy can be shifted, ever so slightly, Janowski feels she has won.
“My goal is to just celebrate, reassure, and communicate that all students and their parents will be guided along the way through this very important transition,” she says.
Prior to CUW, Janowski was Air Force active duty, where she taught an introductory behavioral sciences and leadership course for first-year cadets. She was thrilled to find a role at Concordia where she could continue to follow her calling of working with new students. Her first day at CUW was on June 2, 2022. It was the day before the first Falcon Day.
“I was blessed to be able to jump straight in and inherit such an impactful event,” says Janowski, who has now led the orientation the past three years. “Each Falcon Day really is a team effort between many different offices and departments here at CUW who all care so much about setting up our newest students for success and welcoming them into the Falcon Family.” Roughly 100 students are in attendance at each one.
Prepare for flight
Once you are committed to CUW, you are invited to register to attend one of five (or six, including the virtual offering) Falcon Day events hosted in the summer prior to the kickoff of fall classes.
If you choose to attend, you will follow an itinerary for the day that includes welcome and informational sessions, get-to-know you activities and games (e.g., BINGO & Kahoot!) with prizes, CUW swag giveaways, photo opportunities with comfort dogs and Freddy the Falcon, and so much more.
The information you receive is priceless:
- Downloading the app, Falcon Feed
- Uploading your photo and obtaining an ID to access the building
- Obtaining your new student checklist and college life bucket list
- Seeing your resident hall/room, meeting your roommate(s)
- Experiencing the cafeteria
- Meeting your resident director
- Meeting with your advisor and getting your class schedule
- Gathering any resources or asking any questions you have at the Resource Fair
This is the one day you can really see yourself in your new location prior to starting classes. It’s designed to bridge the gap between graduating high school and entering college. According to Janowski, it’s the day to come and ask questions, meet people, see if your couch will fit in your dorm room, decide who’s going to have which bunk, etc.
Note: Falcon Days occur in June and July, and vary from year to year.
Why attend a Falcon Day?
You will receive step by step instructions to ensure that everything happens correctly. Janowski knows that new students have a ton going on, “… they’re going to prom, they’re graduating, they’re trying to enjoy their summer, they’re moving … it’s a lot,” she says.
Olivia Race, Concordia Crew intern and lead Falcon Day student coordinator, remembers being so excited as an incoming freshman at her Falcon Day. Now as a CUW junior she says, “I am able to see the blessing that these days are for hundreds of families and students as they get to know the campus and one another.”
Janowski wants you to know that this day is about celebration and fun, and not about blasting you with information. “It’s about connection … it’s about finding your family, and it’s about turning nervous energy into excited energy.”
Who should attend a Falcon Day?
You! All incoming new students should attend a CUW Falcon Day event. New freshmen, transfer students, residential and commuter students, local and out-of-state students—there is programming for all. “We recognize that our international and out-of-state students may not be able to travel in for their Falcon Day, that’s why we have a virtual offering,” says Janowski.
“We recognize that transfer students who have attended college before may have already attended orientation programming at their previous institutions, but Falcon Days are for them as well!”
Leah Flolo, the new coordinator of student activities and orientation at CUW, was a transfer student herself and attended her Falcon Day back in 2022. “I was so glad I did. I highly recommend attending Falcon Days, even as a transfer student, because it allowed me to make connections and have confidence going into the school year that I wouldn’t have had without it.”
Notable quotes from new students
– I would definitely do it again. And, I am now more excited than ever to go to CUW.
– Falcon Day was very well orchestrated, making it easy to ask questions or even just comment on how I felt.
– Before Falcon Day I was completely lost. I knew I liked the lacrosse coach … I totally forgot what everything looked like and felt like from my last visit. However, I am super excited I attended Falcon Day in order to see my dorm, get my classes, meet new friends, and understand the way of life at CUW.
– I had fun. Thank you for providing me a chance to grow and flourish!
– All the free stuff we got was an awesome gesture. My family loved the whole experience and feel even more comfortable sending me there.
– Getting to finally meet my roomies in real life and meet other new athletes!
– I enjoyed the incentives to participate and to learn, as well as the games, and the specific seminars/informational groups we met in with our families. It was great to meet my academic advisor.
Leaving the nest? More resources available
- Life hack workshops for first-year students that discuss sleep, time management, study habits, financial literacy, etc.
- Academic Resource Center: tutoring, supplemental instruction, peer academic coaching, math drop-in desk, writing center, and accessibility services (call 262-243-2623).
- Concordia’s Student Health Center for healthcare needs (call 262-243-4574).
- Campus Activities Board (CAB) for social event information.
- Student Wellness & Mental Health offers many different resources.
CUW statistics
To check out the most recent statistics, click here.
Want in?
Concordia University Wisconsin is a Lutheran higher education community committed to helping students develop in mind, body, and spirit for service to Christ in the Church and the world. There are a plethora of resources for new students on campus, just click the link below to find out more.