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Home > College Offices > Dean of Students > Student Handbook > Campus Life > Events & Traditions
Events & Traditions
September Convocation
Convocation is the traditional opening of the College each year. On the afternoon before the first day of classes, the faculty and student body gather in the amphitheater to celebrate the beginning of a new academic year. This is the first formal College event that new students attend.
Student Organization Fair
The Office of Student Programs sponsors the Student Organization Fair Activities Fair at the beginning of the fall semester. It is an opportunity for student leaders to showcase their clubs and organizations and for interested students to become acquainted with the various offerings. Each group staffs an information table, and members are available to answer questions.
Family and Friends Weekend
Held in the fall, Family and Friends Weekend is a time when students invite their families and friends to visit the campus and learn about the College community. The weekend features two and a half days of events planned by a committee of students and administrators in cooperation with the Office of Student Programs. Events include academic highlights, musical performances, athletic and cultural events with plenty of time to relax and enjoy the final days of autumn.
Mountain Day
When fall weather sets in, speculation begins about the date for Mountain Day. One of the College's oldest traditions, Mountain Day provides an unexpected break from classes and other obligations, and many students spend the day enjoying outdoor activities, in particular, hiking on Mt Holyoke. The pealing of the Mary Lyon Hall bell after the 8:00 AM ring announces to the campus that it's Mountain Day.
Fall and Spring Weekends
These weekends are coordinated by student organizations, the Office of Student Programs, and the Network. Events may include concerts, parties, and movies. The highlight of Fall Weekend is Las Vegas Night. Pangynaskeia (a celebration of women), Earth Day, and a carnival theme have sometimes been incorporated into Spring Weekend.
Founder's Day
This day commemorates the founding of the College and falls on the Sunday nearest to November 8, the day in 1837 when the Mount Holyoke Female Seminary first opened.
Faculty Show
Once every four years, the faculty and staff entertain the College by putting on their own show so each generation of students has the chance to see one. It is an opportunity to see your professors as you’ve never seen them before; the last faculty show was held during the 2001–2002 academic year.
Commencement and Reunion Weekends
Among the highlights of this weekend are the alumnae parade on Saturday morning, the baccalaureate service on Saturday evening, and commencement on Sunday.
On Saturday morning, one thousand alumnae in white march past Skinner Hall, around the green, and up to the grove, led by the loyalty classes (alumnae returning for their sixty-fifth-, seventieth-, and seventy-fifth-year reunions) followed by returning alumnae and graduating seniors. On Saturday evening at the baccalaureate service, the senior class is addressed by two of its members and by two members of the faculty selected by the senior class.
On Sunday, commencement exercises are held before a gathering of family and friends in the amphitheater. Distinguished honorary degree recipients are invited to campus, one of whom is the speaker.
One week after commencement, a second reunion weekend is held with eight classes returning for their reunions. Similar traditions such as the alumnae parade and Alumnae Association meeting, a barbecue luncheon, and class banquets make up the weekend.
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