Pre-Welcome Week Programs

TCNJ offers an optional but impactful experience for all incoming students, including new transfers and traditional first-years! These 4-day, 3-night programs welcome students to campus early and offer a broad range of leadership and personal development in addition to meaningful community building and social activities!

This year, we are hosting three tracks: Operation LEAD, Operation BeWell, and Operation Justice & Equity. Each track has focused workshops, activities, and conversations that allow students to dive into their passions before the semester begins.

Details

Dates: Sunday, August 20 – Wednesday, August 23, 2023

Students living on-campus will move into their residence hall on Sunday, August 20. All participants will immediately roll into Welcome Week activities (which run Thursday, August 24 – Monday, August 28). The first day of class is Tuesday, August 29.

Cost: $450 (scholarships are available for certain programs)

The application is now live and due no later than Friday, July 28, 2023. You will have the ability to apply to more than one, which will increase your chances of participating.

2023 Pre-Welcome Week Program Application

Keep reading below for more information! Thank you for your interest!

Operation BeWell

The Department of Recreation and Wellness has designed a schedule that will provide active, engaging, and educational activities to teach students about all areas of wellness: intellectual, spiritual, occupational, emotional, physical, social, and environmental. Students will learn about on-campus resources available to them including advocacy, education, services, and programs. Activities range from yoga and guided workouts to low ropes courses, hikes, nutrition lessons, and mindfulness. Participants will also engage with members of the Health and Wellness staff to learn about living a wellness-based life at TCNJ. Mixed in with this fun will be lots of time to get to know your fellow classmates and get your first taste of Lions Pride.

Questions? Don’t hesitate to reach out to Operation BeWELL: recwell@tcnj.edu

Operation Justice & Equity

This program is designed to enhance the cross-cultural experience for participating students at TCNJ! Throughout the four days, you’ll participate in a series of activities that help you gain a stronger understanding about equitable leadership skills, communication, and understanding of personal experiences. We prepare students for the transition into college in dealing with culture shock, imposter syndrome, and self-advocacy. Participants will walk away with a greater sense of purpose while strengthening their critical thinking and community network. Hosted by the Office of Intercultural Affairs within the Division of Inclusive Excellence.

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Community Development- Build an instant and sustainable community of friends to help ease the transition into college life as a first-year and new transfer student!

Equitable Leadership- Strengthen your understanding about identities, power dynamics, and advocacy to become a thoughtful and inclusive leader.

Critical thinking- Learn how to navigate through challenges and problem solve using TCNJ resources and professional networks.

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“As a first year student, it is very overwhelming to enter a stage of independence in which no young adult is truly prepared for. Operation Justice & Equity allowed me to have the tools, such as special connections with student facilitators/faculty and early exclusive access to the campus, which made this transition much easier. To add the cherry on top, OJE gave me the skills to become an advocate for myself and others, which I realized to be very crucial in college settings. The community I built and skills I strengthened because of this program are priceless and I would do anything to go through it again.”

Questions? Don’t hesitate to reach out to Operation Justice & Equity: inclusion@tcnj.edu or visit us at our website (https://ica.tcnj.edu/programs/operation-justice-equity/).

Operation LEAD

Participants will engage in a variety of interactive experiences including a low ropes challenge course, community service projects, and team building exercises that will provide students with the resources to become better connected to life at TCNJ. Students will discover their personal strengths, develop leadership skills, forge long-lasting bonds with other incoming freshmen, and, most importantly, have fun! Operation LEAD is constructed in a way that can make the transition from high school to college easier for future TCNJ campus leaders by creating a community of first year students and providing networking opportunities with TCNJ faculty and staff. Participants will discover how to empower themselves to make an impact on the TCNJ community and beyond!

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The College of New Jersey | Commencement

“Operation LEAD was everything I hoped it would be. The transition from high school to college really intimidated me, and I wanted to participate in Operation LEAD to hopefully make that transition more smooth. Not only that, but taking part in leadership was something that I really enjoyed in high school and wanted to continue at TCNJ. Operation LEAD enabled me to do that from the very beginning. Through Operation LEAD I was able to learn more about myself, who I am as a leader, and learned to listen to others when working together. While those things may seem simple, they have greatly impacted my time at TCNJ. Coming from a small high school, where I had a leadership role in everything I did, I needed to learn quickly that other people were just as qualified to lead. Participating in Operation LEAD allowed me to do that, which was a necessary thing to realize in order to succeed here. Also, being able to make friends, connect with upperclassmen and staff, and learn campus even before Welcome Week was extremely helpful in the transition to TCNJ. Overall, I loved my experience in Operation LEAD and the lessons and experiences that I had were unparalleled. I highly recommend participating in Operation LEAD as it not only set myself up for success going into TCNJ, but also helped me grow as an individual.”

-Emma Lee-Pesotski

“For me, Operation Lead was an extremely attractive opportunity coming into college for a multitude of reasons. Primarily, I wanted the ability to get to campus early, adjust to college, and meet new people in the process. This program did all three of these things, and it made the first week spent adjusting to college go extremely smoothly. I learned leadership skills through activities with my peers, and this program even gave me the confidence to run for a position in TCNJ’s Student Government. Operation Lead is a fun, lowkey way to begin college, and I think that anyone can benefit from what it has to offer!”

-Enzo Whetton

“I feel that being a leader within the community is vital as leadership is key in dealing with difficult situations or projects, and I felt drawn to Operation LEAD because I knew I would benefit from the program’s focus on leadership. Being a member of Operation LEAD has taught me the importance of collaboration and communication. Before participating in the program, I felt intimidated when speaking in front of people I did not know. I was scared and never wanted to put myself out there to create new relationships. However, Operation LEAD helped me break out of my shell and become more outgoing. I have made more friends and reached out to other students even when I usually would not. From the facilitators to the individuals I met during the program, they encouraged me to be a positive leader and influence those around me. Incoming freshmen should definitely participate in this program because it allows them to acclimate to the college environment while improving their leadership skills, which are vital to success in college. Essentially, this program will allow them to learn about themselves through activities geared toward communication and self-development while creating relationships that will last a lifetime. I am forever grateful for participating in this program and cannot stress enough how beneficial it was to me.”

-Andrea LaMorticella

Questions? Don’t hesitate to reach out to Operation LEAD: leadership@tcnj.edu