Pratt’s campus once again bustles with energy following a fun-filled orientation, as new and returning students embark upon a semester of learning, companionship, and exploration. Ahead of the new semester, students spent the week settling into campus, decorating their rooms, and meeting other students through social events, informational sessions, group trips, city tours, and other activities.
This year’s student body comes from almost all 50 US states and approximately 80 countries, with 18 percent identifying as the first in their family to attend college.
President Frances Bronet, Vice President for Student Affairs Delmy M. Lendof, and representatives from Student Involvement, Residential Life and Housing, and other areas greeted students at different events, sharing in the excitement for all that they will learn and accomplish in their time at Pratt.
Informational sessions throughout the week helped students learn about essential campus services and resources such as health care, counseling, Campus Safety, food service, and public transit, as well as how to get involved on campus and in city life. Campus tours took students to the Learning/Access Center, ARC, library, cafeteria, and academic buildings, and more. Academic meetings with departments provided opportunities to meet professors, participate in workshops, and get a feel for the classroom experience. Specialized sessions for incoming international, transfer, graduate, and other students created chances to build community.
Fabio Lima, MS Historic Preservation ’26, said that he was looking forward to visiting the Pratt Center for Community Development in the Research Yard at the Brooklyn Navy Yard during a special visit with his peers in the Graduate Center for Planning and the Environment.
“My research interests align with the faculty’s interest in community engagement,” he said.
Kate Oliver, MFA Interior Design ’26, said that her job at a fine arts studio includes working with interior designers, lighting designers, and architects, which made Pratt’s focus on interdisciplinarity compelling.
Aysel Hamidova and Alya Polat, both BFA Film ’28, discovered that they have a shared interest in experimental film. Their first few days on campus, meeting new people and learning about the school’s services, have been reassuring.
“Being on campus feels like home already,” Polat said. “The RAs have been so helpful.”
Midway through the week, President Bronet and students walked to the Brooklyn Bridge to see the sun rise, the city coming more to life with each block along the way.
Students put their growing knowledge of campus to the test during this year’s Pratt Quest, an app-based scavenger hunt that awards prizes to teams that swiftly solve riddles. Students developed new friendships as they explored different buildings and chatted with faculty and staff.
Field trips during the week gave a sense of how the city can be an extension of the campus. Groups visited Domino Park, Chelsea Market, the High Line, Little Island, Times Square, Koreatown, Rockefeller Center, Coney Island, and elsewhere. Students also visited world-famous museums including the Brooklyn Museum and the Whitney Museum of American Art. An early morning walk to the Fort Greene Farmers Market revealed the liveliness of the local area.
Orientation week prepared students for the challenges of the semester ahead, while offering many opportunities for fun in their new environment. Students socialized at a block party in the newly redesigned East Hall Plaza, played cards during a “casino” night, tried new games and sports in the ARC, and expressed their creativity with crafts and hobbies. There were also book-binding workshops, role-playing exercises, a tai chi class, open drawing and open writing sessions, along with a trip to a local jazz festival.
As the first day of classes approached, the fun-filled week was a chance for all to explore campus life and start their journeys as new members of the Pratt community. Check out our Instagram @PrattInstitute for more photos and videos of the week.
