Welcome Week

August 15-18, 2024

Welcome Week has an energy all its own, and it will mark the beginning of your journey as a PBA student. During this week-long event, you’ll take part in all kinds of activities and events, meet fellow students, begin fostering relationships with faculty, and have a lot of fun while your family enjoy their own Welcome Week Programming. Welcome Week begins with check-in where students are assigned to a “fish” group which is comprised of other first-year students and two upperclassmen who serve as your group’s Fish Leaders. This is the group you’ll be with all week, taking part in fun activities, athletic events, and social gatherings.

Note: Programming for parents and families will begin Friday, August 16 and conclude at noon on Saturday, August 17. Detailed schedule coming soon!

Recap Video

Schedule of Events

8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Sailfish Start & Move-In

Get settled into your new home-away-from-home! Be sure to stop by the Sailfish Start tent outside your hall to check-in.
Students will receive an email from Residence Life by early July to sign up for a specific move-in timeslot.
Residence Halls

8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Onboarding

Gather essentials (like your PBA ID card), chat with Financial Aid, finalize your student account and billing, enjoy a photo opp with your family, and more!
Warren Library

11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Lunch on Your Own

Students may use their meal plan. Meals for family members are available for purchase.
Campus Dining

5 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Dinner on Your Own

Students may use their meal plan. Meals for family members are available for purchase.
Campus Dining

7:30 – 9:30 p.m.
Wonka Movie Night
Come meet your fellow new Sailfish as we enjoy a chill night under the stars with a screening of Wonka and delicious snacks.
Baxter Green

 

Click here for the current campus dining hours of operation.

8 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Sailfish Start & Move-In

Get settled into your new home-away-from-home! Be sure to stop by the Sailfish Start tent outside your hall to check-in.
Students will receive an email from Residence Life by early July to sign up for a specific move-in timeslot.
Residence Halls

8 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Onboarding

Gather essentials (like your PBA ID card), chat with Financial Aid, finalize your student account and billing, enjoy a photo opp with your family, and more!
Warren Library

11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Lunch on Your Own

Students may use their meal plan. Meals for family members are available for purchase.
Campus Dining

1 p.m. – 2 p.m.
International Student Orientation

International students: Meet with the International Student Services team to walk through important information regarding visas, acclimating to PBA, and more.
Family members are welcome to join!
MAC 1291

2 p.m. – 3 p.m.
Varsity Athlete Family Meeting

Family members of incoming varsity athletes are invited to a session with members of the Sailfish Athletics staff.
MacArthur 1291-1292

2 p.m. – 3 p.m.
Honors Orientation

Students entering the Supper Honors Program are invited to connect with Dr. Tom St. Antoine, the program’s director.
Family members are welcome to join!
Weyenberg Center

3 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Donuts with Your Dean

Meet fellow students and professors from your major and enjoy delicious donuts from a local favorite: The Salty Donut!
Assigned Classrooms

4 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Commuter Connect

Incoming commuters: We want you to get connected to the PBA community.
Stop by to check-in, gather PBA essentials, and receive a free Chick-fil-A meal on us!
Greene Complex Portico

5 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Dinner on Your Own

Students may use their meal plan. Meals for family members are available for purchase.
Campus Dining Locations

7 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Find Your Fish Group

Meet your Fish Group on the Baxter Green and pose together for a photo with your fish group before making your way as a group to the Opening Rally.
Baxter Green

7:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Welcome Program & Opening Rally

A high-energy rally to kick-off the Welcome Week festivities.
Hear from our President, meet the Steering Committee, and more!
Watch Live
Rubin Arena

8 p.m. – 9 p.m.
President’s Dessert Social (Families)
Families will be dismissed during the Opening Rally.
Family members: Enjoy Florida treats as you mingle with members of the Parents Council, Alumni Association, President’s Cabinet and deans of the schools.
Warren Library

8 p.m. – 9 p.m.
PBA Bookstore VIP Night (Families)
The PBA Bookstore will be celebrating their VIP (Very Important Parents) Night during the President’s Dessert Social by offering a 10% discount and the chance to win an additional 10% off!
Please visit the Bookstore for more details.
Lassiter Student Center

8:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Block Party

Come on out to your first social event of the year to meet other students and various members of the PBA community.
There will be food and lots of fun!
Rinker Green

 

Click here for the current campus dining hours of operation.

8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.
Understanding Life at PBA (Families & Students together)

Get oriented to life as a PBA student and find out all that’s in store for you as members of the Sailfish family.
Rubin Arena

9:30 -10 a.m.
Student Safety and Wellness
(Families and Students Together)
Rubin Arena

10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Workship
Take part in your first Workship project and a time of worship together.
Students receive Workship credit.
Students dismissed 30 minutes into session to their workship projects.
Rubin Arena;
various breakout rooms

10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Becoming PBA Parents & Time of Prayer (Families)

*Final event for parents & families
Join fellow parents as you hear from campus leaders and take part in a special time of prayer over your students.
Rubin Arena

12 pm – 1:30 p.m.
Family Goodbye Lunch / Lunch with Your Fish Group
Time for families and students to say farewell over lunch together or eat with your fish group using your meal plan.
Commuter meals will be free.
Campus Dining Locations & Recommended Off Campus Locations

2 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Fish Group Excursion

Explore iconic West Palm Beach favorites with your Fish Group.
Various Locations

4 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Dinner with Your Fish Group

Come eat with your fish group! Students may use their meal plan.
Commuter meals will be free.
Campus Dining Locations

6 p.m. – 10 p.m.
RAC-reation

Gather outside the Warren Library to ride the buses out to the Rinker Athletic Campus, where we’ll enjoy a giant volleyball competition and refreshing treats.
Meet outside the Warren Library; ride buses to Rinker Athletic Campus together

 

Click here for the current campus dining hours of operation.

10 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.
Sunday Morning Worship

Come worship together with fellow students and hear a message from our Spiritual Development team.
Rubin Arena

11:15 a.m. 1 p.m.
Brunch with Your Fish Group

Come eat with your fish group! Students may use their meal plan.
Commuter meals will be free.
Fraser Dining Hall

2 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Footwashing Tradition

Welcome Week ends with this special PBA tradition.
Come hear from our campus pastor and join us for this unique time of worship
Rubin Arena

 

Click here for the current campus dining hours of operation.

PBA students participating in a Welcome Week rally.

Student Activities

Throughout Welcome Week you’ll take part in all kinds of different activities:

  • Athletic events and group activities will help you make new friends and discover the resources around you at PBA.
  • Fish Group activities will form the foundation of Sailfish Spirit that will last for life.
  • Meetings with faculty will introduce you to the amazing, accomplished Christian scholars who will mentor and guide you.
  • The Footwashing Experience will be an opportunity to feel the power and love of God’s teachings and sense the quality of our Christian academic experience.

 

A mother and father hug their son as they drop him off at Palm Beach Atlantic University during Welcome Week.

Family Activities & Events

Welcome Week is just as much about welcoming families of first-year students into the PBA family as the students themselves. Families are invited to attend activities such as the Opening Rally, President’s Ice Cream Social, and Becoming PBA Family & Time of Prayer. Look for us at the Family Welcome Area in the Warren Library during Move-in days!

 

 

 

Have Questions?

For more information about Welcome Week, please contact the Steering Committee: PbaStudents@hrfjk.com.

For more information about Move-In, please contact the Reslife office: Reslife@hrfjk.com – (561) 803-2555

The Steering Committee

Welcome Week is designed for new students starting in the fall semester. You’ll meet the Steering Committee, a student leader group that will guide you on your action-packed week.

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