It's time for bigger goals.

We're thrilled you have chosen Duquesne University to pursue your bigger goals. As a first-year college student, it is our responsibility and joy to help you and your family transition to college life.

Our team:
Student Success Coaches assisting a Duquesne family at FAST 2023.

  • Coordinates orientation and other activities to ease your way during your first year.
  • Advises Phi Eta Sigma (Honor Society) a national honor society for first-year students who display superior academic ability (GPA 3.5 or higher) and performance.
  • Monitors first-year student grades and helps students find tutors when needed.

New Student Orientation

Orientation is a great opportunity for incoming first-year and other new students to get to know Duquesne and their classmates. 

Our week-long orientation program is a great opportunity for new students to get to know our campus and their classmates.  Orientation offers parent orientation, as well as transfer student orientation. Every deposited student is automatically registered for orientation.
 

Hear from a Student

Skyler Wrubleski

Unlike other campuses, it feels like you are part of a community here. They welcome you from Day One and walk with you throughout your experience.

Skyler Wrubleski Director of Orientation; B.S. in Biomedical Engineering & BSN dual degree candidate
Read About Skyler

Orientation Dates

Move-in

Tuesday, August 20, 2024

Orientation

Wednesday, August 21-25, 2024

Parent Orientation

Wednesday, August 21, 2024

What Makes Our Orientation Special?

  1. Our program is developed for students by students. Our student staff is uniquely positioned to welcome you to the Duquesne family.
  2. Since we've been through the process ourselves, we know that starting college is a thrilling yet apprehensive time.
  3. With this understanding, we have developed a program that fits the needs of our new students and will enable them to make the most of this next exciting chapter of their lives!

We are so excited for the arrival of all students and hope that we can make move-in as stress-free as possible! When arriving, all vehicles will be directed into campus through McAnulty Drive where the specific route to LLCs will be identified by our Duquesne Public Safety Officers and Orientation Staff.  

Please keep the following in mind during move-in day:

  • Please adhere to your move-in time slot. To request any changes to your move-in time, please email Residence Life.
  • Have all items and boxes labeled with your full name, building, and room number.
  • You must pick up your room key from the residence life tent/tables outside of your residence hall before entering the building.
  • After your move-in is complete, visit the Orientation tent for your goodies for the week!
  • Lunch will be provided to all students and families on move-in day in Hogan Dining Center, free of charge.
     

Make sure to have the Orientation Schedule downloaded on your device in preparation for move-in! This schedule includes more detailed information about our move-in process, a schedule of events, campus resources, a to-do list before classes start, and more. 

For Parents Only: Learn about more about Parent Orientation.

Duquesne student smiling with two thumbs up

First-year students are assigned one of many supportive University community members including an academic advisor, student success coach, resident assistant, orientation team leader, faculty advisor and a resident director, just to name a few.

Our First-year Mentor Program provides a unique opportunity for new students to have someone to talk to, to hang out with or to just vent. Mentors in this program are qualified University employees who are genuinely interested in your wellbeing and are particularly accessible. Mentors coordinate study breaks, informal outings and other social events for their mentor group. Most importantly, however, they are available simply to help you with the variety of things that could come up in your first year of college.

Interested in having a mentor? First-year Development will be happy to assign you a mentor. Look for more direction during First-year Advising Summer Transition (FAST) and First-year Orientation or please feel free to reach out to us at Freshman Development and we will assign a mentor to you.

The Freshman Class Council is a group of freshmen who meet with the Director of Freshman Development biweekly throughout their freshman year.

Students provide feedback to the Director concerning current freshman needs.

Members of the executive board plan service projects for the Freshmen Class.  Examples of these projects are:
  • Volunteer at Night of Lights
  • Family Weekend
  • Heritage Week
  • Founders Week
Member of the executive board plan social events for the Freshmen Class. Examples of these events are:
  • Class Ski Trips
  • Zoo Trips
  • End of the Year cookout
  • Pirate Games
  • Kennywood
  • Movie Nights
  • Painting Nights

Join your fellow freshmen on these weekend trips to discover cultural, entertainment and recreational attractions in the Pittsburgh region. The fun includes:

  • Pittsburgh Pirates games
  • Kennywood Park
  • Pittsburgh Zoo
  • Tours of Pittsburgh
  • Fright Night at Kennywood
  • Discounted Movie Tickets

If anyone has any suggestions for next year programs, please contact Freshman Development.

Phi Eta Sigma is a national honor society whose goal is to encourage and reward academic excellence among freshmen in institutions of higher learning.

Phi Eta Sigma was founded at the University of Illinois on March 22, 1923 at the University of Illinois.  Today the national honor society has than 375 chapters throughout the United States and more than 1,100,000 members.

Phi Eta Sigma obtained membership into the Association of College Honor Societies in 1973. Only two societies have had longer continuous memberships. As a national college and scholastic honor society for freshmen, Phi Eta Sigma encourages and rewards high scholastic achievement in institutions of higher learning.

The Duquesne University chapter was established on November 15, 1983. The students who are honored at this ceremony earned a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.5 at the end of their first semester at Duquesne University.

Michael P. Weber Learning Skills Center Students are able request for tutoring in three different ways:

The tutoring request process is now easier than ever! Students can request tutoring via Starfish

The Learning Skills Center is offering both, in-person and online, tutoring for the Spring 2023 Semester. In-person tutoring will be held in our reserved classrooms, and online tutoring will be conducted via Zoom. We will also present the Exam Review Workshops via Zoom.

Students are able request for tutoring in three different ways:

  1. Students can come into the Center and request for tutoring in person. (Bottom Floor of Old Main/Administration Building)
  2. Students can request for tutoring through Starfish. Once they complete the Starfish request, they will be directed to the Learning Skills Center - Tutor Request Form link via email, which they would need to complete and submit.
  3. Students can bypass the Starfish request and complete the Learning Skills Center - Tutor Request Form if you share the link with them directly.

Learning Skills Center - Tutoring Request Form

Upon submission of the Learning Skills Center - Tutor Request Form, a tutor will contact the student within 3-5 business days with details on how to schedule an appointment. At that time students can specify whether they want in-person or online.

Supplemental Science Instruction

Additional tutoring or test preparation can be found in Mellon Hall for the following classes: Biology 111, Anatomy & Physiology, Biology: Intro To Life Processes, General Chemistry, Advanced General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, and Physics.

Please consult the schedule for times and locations. Appointments or referrals are not need for these sessions.

Writing Center

The University Writing Center is here to help with your final projects and papers!

All sessions will be conducted online via Zoom. We have expanded our online hours! There are no in-person appointments.

ESL Program Tutoring

If you are taking ESL courses (Basic A through UCOR 101E and UCOR 102E) we have tutors who can help you. The ESL Program has trained tutors who can help you understand and improve your English skills. Many excellent students have worked with ESL tutors. These students developed their language skills, and they felt more confident in using English. ESL Program tutoring is free.

You can make a tutoring appointment once a week. If you are a student currently taking ESL Program courses, please make an appointment with an ESL Program tutor.

Other sources of tutoring:

A.J. Palumbo School of Business Administration
704 Rockwell Hall
(412) 396-6276

Athletic Academic Coordinators
1st floor, Mendel Hall
(412) 396-6565

Mathematics and Computer Science
440 College Hall
(412) 396-6467

Modern Languages Department
202 Fisher Hall
(412) 396-6415

Music School Advisement Office
303 School of Music
(412) 396-5744

NAP Coaching
(For students in nursing courses)
544 Fisher Hall
(412) 396-6347

Spiritan Brother Gerald Keating served the Duquesne community from 1924 until 1980. In that time, he developed the Our Lady of Victories Shrine and garden and served a campus chef for many decades. During the Great Depression, Brother Keating quietly supported students who felt the crippling impact of the economic collapse, thus enabling them to successfully complete their academic studies.

The Keating Initiative seeks to assist food insecure students, faculty, and staff. The initiative includes comprehensive "wrap-around" services that include health and wellness, meal vouchers, and a campus food pantry.

Individuals wishing to utilize the Keating Initiative are asked to complete an intake document which will enable them full access to the pantry and other services.

Donations are accepted through the United Way (#16569303: Brother Keating Initiative Food Pantry)

For more information, please reach out to us:

Tamara Trembulak
Assistant Director for Center for Student Involvement
and Union Operations

Jeanie Kocinski
Administrative Assistant for Freshman Development
and Disability Services

Overview

The following program description offers a programmatic structure to afford developmental and creative programming for student participants. Moreover, this program was crafted to highlight the University's current community-engagement efforts in target neighborhoods, introduce students to key community leaders and agencies, encourage the personal development of participants, and foster spiritual growth of participants looking to live out their faith by serving others.

The Objective & Goals

To provide a six-day program for Catholic high school students to engage in challenging dialogue, motivating workshops and trainings, as well as community-engaged and social activities designed to enhance academic learning, personal development, faith development, leadership skills, and civic identity development.

Duquesne University Leadership Academy (DULA) seeks each day to foster the following:

  • Engaging with our Local Community
  • Growing in our Faith
  • Building Servant Leaders
  • Building Community with One Another

By participating in this program, students will:

  • Understand contemporary and historical issues that affect Duquesne's key communities;
  • Learn about how Duquesne University faculty, staff, and students reciprocally partner with communities and service agencies to address challenges and opportunities with the goal of building a more just and verdant world;
  • Begin to develop the skill set necessary to constructively engage with diverse stakeholders in order to collaboratively achieve realistic resolutions to community problems;
  • Assess their leadership style and craft a plan to recognize themselves as future change agents within their communities and the world;
  • Nurture the fullest expression of the Gospel call to justice in a way that goes beyond charity or single charitable actions using the see, judge, act model to promote a holistic and systematic approach to peace and justice in our world

First Year Advisement Summer Transition (FAST)

Welcome to Duquesne University! We understand that the transition to university life is an exciting time filled with significant change. To ensure a smooth start, we will be hosting the FAST (First Year Advisement Summer Transition) program in July 2024. FAST is a program designed to ease your transition into the community we have at Duquesne.

FAST Dates:

July 9, 2024 and July 11, 2024: Business, Health Sciences, Nursing, Music

July 10, 2024 and July 12, 2024: Science and Engineering, Liberal Arts, Pharmacy, Education

Why Attend FAST?

FAST is an optional program tailored to provide you and your parents with essential insights and resources as you prepare for your academic journey here at Duquesne. While every school offers two specific days for participation, you only need to select one that aligns with your schedule, making it more of a convenient and personalized experience.

What to Expect at FAST:

  • Meet Your Dedicated Student Success Coach
  • Attend Sessions with University Support Services
  • Obtain Your Official DU Student ID Card
  • Engage with Residence Life and Commuter Affairs Staff
  • Set Up Your Student Bank Account with PNC Bank
  • Order or Purchase Essential Technology, Textbooks, and other Supplies
  • Connect with Future Classmates and more!

Still need to complete your Federal Direct Loan application? Want to opt-in to the student health insurance charge? Parents need a copy of your student's eBill? Join us at the FAST Lab for a personalized experience, where a university staff member will guide you through these essential to-do list items while you're here.

  • For Parents: Obtain access to student's eBill and/or apply for the Parent Loan of Undergraduate Students (PLUS)
  • Sign up for the university student health insurance charge (if needed)
  • Complete your Federal Student Loan requirements
  • Complete your Work-Study employment application
  • Discuss specific financial aid-related questions 1:1 with a Financial Aid representative and more!

FAST Registration

Contact Us

First-Year Development

Dr. Adam Wasilko

Associate Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students

Ashley Kane

Director, Student Programming and First Year Experience

Mari Jean Kocinski

Administrative Assistant

Tamara Trembulak

Assistant Director of Student Involvement and Union Operations