Catching crayfish and classmates, singing while scrubbing toys, and laughing and gasping at entertainers — all of these and more memorable experiences were enjoyed by first-years at Launch into Loras, Aug. 26-28.

Led by professors and peer assistants, Launch into Loras aims to help new Duhawks adjust to college life.

At the Convocation Ceremony, first-years learned a little bit about the history of Loras, were reminded about the issues raised by the common reading, “Bottlemania,” by Elizabeth Royte, and discovered facts about their fellow classmates.

New Duhawks also got a look at the music program, thanks to a performance by one of the choirs. The Convocation Ceremony was followed by a Welcome Picnic, where some students rang the “victory bell” to start off their collegiate careers. After parting ways with their families, students headed off to their first Modes of Inquiry (MOI) meeting, where they got to know one another and watched a video on the FISH! philosophy. The film clip introduced four ideas for students to keep in mind during Launch and the rest of their time at Loras.

Service was very popular among first-years and professors alike. First-year Monica Shaffer enjoyed volunteering the best because her group sang while they cleaned toys at Hills & Dales, borrowing an idea from the FISH! video. Another first-year, Erin Morrissey, had a memorable experience attempting to catch crawdads with little nets in the middle of a stream as her service.

Dana Livingston, professor of modern languages and cultures, believes service is an important aspect of Launch because volunteering “fits the mission of the college.” He connected volunteering to the four main dispositions of Loras and said that he thought it gave students a “sense of place” by introducing first-years to people and places outside of Loras.

Livingston said that the switch between high school and college is “significant for everyone” no matter what background or nationality.”
Mac McLaughlin, professor of psychology, said that, “Launch is exhausting for faculty and for students, but it’s well worth it.” McLaughlin herself braved the challenging ropes course alongside the students, calling the whole experience “really inclusive.”

The ropes course was among the first-years’ favorite activities during the Launch. Besides group bonding activities such as trust falls and group tasks, first-years were able to enjoy the nighttime antics of comedian Buzz Sutherland and “the mentalist” Chris Carter.

These performances were the highlight of the week for some students. Other first-years, like Donna Johnston, preferred playing Ultimate Frisbee during the free time in between activities. First-year Lizzy Meyer “loved” the whole Launch experience and she said she liked how the activities filled up the day.
Sophomore Meghan Delaney summed it up by saying, “If I didn’t have Launch, I probably wouldn’t have met these people.”