New students and their parents arrived on campus Friday, Aug. 22, with trailer, truck and car loads full of clothing, electronics, furniture and other items deemed necessities by the Class of 2012.

Many UF staff, faculty, students and alumni volunteered to help with the effort, handing out bottles of water, answering questions and carrying boxes from trunks to dorm rooms.

Students check into their residence hall.

Returning students help new students and their parents move into a residence hall.

Orientation activities began Friday evening, and Saturday morning, the new freshman class dispersed throughout the Findlay community to offer a helping hand to local agencies and organizations. Students, faculty and staff painted, cleaned, organized, landscaped and did a variety of other projects for others in the community.

A group of students takes a break from cleaning and painting at the Women’s Resource Center.	The College First Church of God gets a good cleaning.
Students are joined by another volunteer moving gravel at Youth for Christ.	A group does some construction work at the Habitat for Humanity Women’s Build.

The traditional Arch Ceremony was Sunday, Aug. 24. Students entered campus through the arch to the welcoming applause of faculty members dressed in academic regalia.

To see more photos of the Arch Ceremony, click here.

To read about the Arch Ceremony tradition, click here.

The processional to the Arch Ceremony walks through campus to the front lawn.

The first students through the arch make their through congratulatory faculty.

The Marching Oiler Brass provides a musical welcome for new students.