Top 10 events marking new Ohio State school year

This week – Programs bring new students to campus earlyFirst year students can begin their college experience early by participating in special programs.
Wednesday (9/13) – Mount Scholars move-in. First-year students selected to be part of the Mount Leadership Program move in to their residence hall, where they live together in a special community as Mount Scholars for their first year. Mount Scholars are dedicated to leadership and service and only 100 are selected each year to be part of the program. Scholars and their parents will gather at 3:30 p.m. in the Ohio Union to hear from President Holbrook.
Thursday (9/14) – OWL move-in. About 1,200 incoming freshmen have taken an early leadership role by agreeing to serve as welcome leaders to help their classmates move in when they arrive. Called OWLs (Ohio State Welcome Leaders), these students arrive a few days ahead of classmates to meet staff, learn about Ohio State, and train for the big day on Sunday.
Friday (9/15-17) – Bell Resource Center Early Arrival Program. Approximately 80 African American male incoming freshmen are expected to attend this program, which provides assistance in making the transition from high school to college from an African American male perspective. Athletics Director Gene Smith is scheduled to speak to the group at 10 a.m. on Saturday (9/17) at the Frank Hale Cultural Center.

Sunday, Sept. 17– Move-in Day
About 5,000 students will move into 36 residence hall between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. The highly organized process begins when families check in at the Schottenstein Center and pick up room keys. Their cars are then directed to unloading areas near their residence halls, where OWLs unload the students' belongings and transport them to the rooms for the families to unpack. Ohio State's move-in process is known for its efficiency and personal attention, and many other universities have made it a model for their efforts.

Monday Sept. 18 – Students welcomed
•Convocation 2006
10:30 a.m. – noon in St. John Arena, 410 Woody Hayes Dr.
More than 6,000 first-year students fill St. John Arena for the official university welcome featuring President Holbrook, the Ohio State University Marching Band, and university leaders. Students experience their first academic procession, learn the history and traditions of Ohio State, and follow the marching band into Ohio Stadium, where video of each student is pictured on the stadium scoreboard.
•Student Involvement Fair and President's Picnic & Buckeye Bash
Noon on the Oval
Members of more than 500 student organizations and campus departments, businesses, and community agencies will be on the Oval to talk about the many ways to get involved outside the classroom.
•Scarlet Fever Pep Rally
4:30 p.m. at St. John Arena
The Department of Athletics sponsors this traditional pep rally, featuring Brutus Buckeye and the Cheerleaders, the Ohio State University Marching Band, and athletes and coaches from some of OSU's fall sports teams. At the event, students learn all the Buckeye cheers, fight songs, and athletic traditions.

Tuesday Sept. 19 – Learning a sense of community
•Community Commitment
10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Headquartered at Ohio Union, 1739 N. High St.
Community Commitment is one of the largest single-day community service projects on a college campus in the nation. Hundreds of students volunteer to perform various community service activities at more than 90 community organizations.
•Picnic with the Buckeyes
5:30 – 7:30 p.m. on the South Oval
The Columbus Jazz Orchestra provides a free concert on the South Oval for Ohio State students, faculty, and staff to kick off the new school year.

Wednesday, Sept. 20 – Classes begin
An army of "Campus Locators" will be at strategic places around campus in brightly colored tents on the first two days of classes to helps students navigate the campus in a timely fashion. Volunteers will be available from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Neil and 17th avenues, Mirror Lake, Woodruff Avenue and College Road.
•World's Largest Pillow Fight
8:30 p.m. on the Oval
Mortar Board Senior Class Honorary is attempting to break the Guinness World Record for the largest pillow fight. The group hopes to have more than 3,500 students participate in the 60-second battle, which also benefits the battle against pancreatic cancer.

Thursday, Sept. 21 – Students recycle furniture for their new rooms
Dump & Run, a giant yard sale to help students furnish their residence halls and apartments, turns reusable items into cash for Ohio State student organizations and local charities. For the past few months, Dump & Run has been collecting reusable items from on-campus dorms and off-campus apartments to be sold from 1-7 p.m. in the Ohio Union Ballrooms, 1739 N. High St. Last year, Dump & Run saved more than 17 tons of items from a landfill.