New Graduate Student Orientation & Chimera Welcome Week
Welcome to California College of the Arts!
California College of the Arts has enhanced the graduate-student experience:
- development of new award-winning graduate studios and facilities
- the augmentation of our stellar faculty body with new tenure-track faculty and international visiting artists
- the growth of new graduate programs that provide a deep interdisciplinary dialogue for all students
We have also built many bridges with Bay Area companies and organizations to pave the way to your career after graduation.
CCA's faculty, administration, and staff expect you to be deeply engaged not only within your program but also with the other resources at the college as well as with the remarkably creative community that surrounds us.
With great anticipation, your families, friends, and campus community are preparing to welcome and support you for this important milestone.
2024 Fall New Graduate Student Orientation & Chimera Welcome Week
New Graduate Student Orientation is an online course you access through Moodle.
All new students are enrolled in this course and it will open on the first Monday of August. Completion of the online new student orientation is required prior to attending in-person Welcome Week/Days and the start of the semester. Incoming students will receive a notification to your CCA email address with log-in information.
Below is the Chimera Welcome Week schedule will be available on the portal on August 1st.
Chimera Welcome Week 2024
Here you will find what is specifically for you as a new GRADUATE student, but you can peek in on rest of Chimera Welcome Week here!
Monday, August 19
Residential Move In Day!! If you will be living on campus in college housing, today is the day you can move into your room! Please see Housing. Dining & Residential Education for more information here.
We’re excited to welcome family and friends to campus. As they accompany you to campus we’ll be offering the following activities and events to make the day festive and informative:
Monday, August 19 | Residential Student Move In Day!
- Students with last names beginning with A-L may move in from 9 am to 11 am.
- Students with last names beginning with M-Z may move in from 11 am to 1 pm.
Arriving within your designated check-in time creates a smooth move-in process for all. Those arriving before 9 am will not be able to check in until their designated move-in time slot.
- 1:00pm-2:15pm | Campus Tours: Take a student-guided tour of CCA with other new students and families.
- 2:30pm-4:00pm | New Family Welcome Reception: New Parents / family can join us for light refreshments and an opportunity to hear from CCA’s President David Howse as well as key faculty, staff and administrators from around the college.
Chimera Welcome Week | Monday, August 19 - Friday, August 23
We encourage our families to allow our new students to begin to acclimate to the campus community by keeping 10am-5pm free for them to attend the week’s offered activities. Our Chimera Welcome Week is only for new CCA students, however we offer the following session for our new families:
- Tuesday, August 20 | 10:00am-12:00pm | Nurturing Talent: Understanding Your Art Student's CCA Journey
Thursday, August 22nd*
|
Event |
Time |
Location |
Description |
Target Audience |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
*Session topics are subject to change. |
||||
|
New INTERNATIONAL Graduate Student Check-In |
8:30 - 9:30 AM |
Nave Presentation Space, |
Mandatory for all incoming International Graduate students. International Student Services will introduce their office and share important immigration information. |
New International Graduate Students (F1 Visa) |
|
Global Insights: Connecting with International Student Services for New Graduate International Students |
9:30 - 10:30 AM |
Nave Presentation Space, |
Mandatory for all incoming International Graduate students. International Student Services will introduce their office and share important immigration information. |
New International Graduate Students (F1 Visa) |
|
New Graduate Student Check-in (non-International Students) |
9:30 - 10:30 AM |
Multipurpose Room, Blattner Hall |
All new graduate students are required to check-in to participate in events and workshops. Here, you will receive your schedule and CCA swag bag! |
New Graduate Students (non-International Students) |
|
Session 1: Thriving in Graduate School |
10:30 - 11:15 AM |
Multipurpose Room, Blattner Hall |
You're in graduate school. Now what? This session will help you answer this question and many more about navigating your new surroundings, new challenges and being a "next level" creative student. |
All Incoming New Graduate Students |
|
Session 2: "Creating a Culture of Respect: Consent and Safety on Campus" |
11:15 - Noon |
Multipurpose Room, Blattner Hall |
A discussion about what it means to be a part of CCA's community of care, respect, and support for yourself and others. |
All Incoming New Graduate Students |
|
New Graduate Student Meet & Greet Lunch |
12:20 - 1:30 PM |
Multipurpose Room, Blattner Hall |
New Graduate students will have lunch and meet CCA President, Dr. David Howse. |
All Incoming New Graduate Students |
|
Session 3: "Inclusive Success: How Access and Disability Services Enhance Your College Experience" |
1:30 - 2:00 PM |
Multipurpose Room, Blattner Hall |
Access & Disability Support services will cover what services are available to students to ensure their success at CCA |
All Incoming New Graduate Students |
|
Session 4: "Plan for Success: Meet Your Advisor and Master Your Schedule" |
2:00 - 2:30 PM |
Multipurpose Room, Blattner Hall |
You will get to know your academic advisor, learn about your course schedules, how to access the shops / studios and other campus resources |
All Incoming New Graduate Students |
|
Session 5: Academic Program Meetings |
2:30 - 3:30 PM |
Locations vary: Review the printed schedule for your program's location. |
Each academic program will get together to find out what you need to know to begin your time in your major at CCA. |
All Incoming New Graduate Students |
|
Campus Resources & Jobs Fair |
3:00 - 5:00 PM |
Nave Multipurpose Room, Main Building |
A festive event to meet various offices, meet other students and connect with on campus work study opportunities! |
All students (incoming & continuing Graduate & Undergraduate students (domestic, international, transfer, commuter)) |
Friday, August 23rd, 2024*
|
Event |
Time |
Location |
Description |
Target Audience |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
*Session topics are subject to change. |
||||
|
Session 1: "Pitch Perfect - Career Development Essentials for Art and Design Graduates" |
9:00 - 9:45 AM |
Blattner Hall, Multipurpose Room, |
Meet the Career Development team and learn tips on next level professionalism, making your own "elevator pitch" and how to present yourself |
All Incoming New Graduate Students |
|
Session 2: Telling Y(Our) Story |
9:45 - 10:30 AM |
Blattner Hall, Multipurpose Room, |
Telling your story and listening to others' stories to understand who we are as a community. We will explore inclusion, representation and diversity of both the self and others |
All Incoming New Graduate Students |
|
Session 3: Community & The Self: Counseling & Psychological Servies |
10:30 - 11:15 |
Blattner Hall, Multipurpose Room, |
Engage with Counseling & Psychological Services about how to take care of your creative energy and mental health while you are in graduate school |
All Incoming New Graduate Students |
|
Session 4: Smart Start: Library & Technology Essentials for Grad Students |
11:15 - Noon |
Blattner Hall, Multipurpose Room, |
Discover how both library and technology resources can enhance your research and support your academic success at CCA |
All Incoming New Graduate Students |
|
Program Meetups (TBD) - If needed |
Noon - 1:00 PM |
Locations will vary. See printed schedule for details |
For academic programs that did not meet on Thursday. (TBD) |
All Incoming New Graduate Students |
|
CCA Convocation Day |
1:45 - 3PM |
Main Building, Nave |
Join all new students, the President, VP's, and Deans in an important community gathering - an official welcome into the CCA community! |
All incoming Graduate & Undergraduate students (domestic, international, transfer, commuter) |
|
Chimerapalooza |
3:00 - 6:00 PM |
Main Building, Nave/Nave Presentation Space |
You made through the week and learned all the things! Now it is time to celebrate! Games, prizes, music, food and other festivities to wrap up Chimera Welcome Week! |
All students (incoming & continuing Graduate & Undergraduate students (domestic, international, transfer, commuter)) |
6 Steps to a Successful Orientation
Step 1: Read the Admitted Graduate Students' Webpage
- The 10 Easy Steps to Enrollment contains comprehensive information regarding financial aid, health insurance, and more.
Step 2: Read Student & Program Technology Requirements
- All incoming students are required to own an external storage device and laptop that meets CCA’s minimum system requirements, outlined on the Student Technology Requirements page. Students who know their intended major should purchase the laptop and external storage device specific to their programs, listed on the Program Technology Requirements page.
- Access to software for classroom-use such as Moodle, Mural, and VoiceThread can be found on the Student Software page and project-specific software like Adobe, Autodesk, Rhino and many other titles on the Creative Software page.
Step 3: Determine Health Insurance Eligibility
- Health Insurance
- All students who are registered in 12 or more units per semester (9 units per semester for all graduate students) are considered full-time students. They are, therefore, required to have health insurance coverage.
- The college has secured a group health insurance policy (an Aetna PPO plan) that provides year-round coverage.
- Part-time students are ineligible for CCA student health insurance.
- Waiving Student Insurance
- You may waive CCA's coverage by submitting an online waiver application before the end of the add/drop period.
- A student's own health insurance must meet minimum coverage requirement to qualify for an approved waiver.
Step 4: Read the Student Handbook
- The Student Handbook serves as a guide to the programs, policies, procedures, requirements, and resources of CCA.
- Students are strongly encouraged to read the entire handbook.
Step 5: Join Graduate Student Alliance (GSA) on Facebook & follow Office of Student Belonging & Inclusion (OSBI) on IG
- Graduate Student Alliance (GSA) directors are fellow students who play an integral role in advocating and funding events for the graduate student community.
- Add "CCA GSA" to your Facebook page and get connected with other current CCA graduate students.
- OSBI IG: @ccaosbi
Questions
Email orientation@cca.edu more info about graduate student orientation.
Contact your desired graduate program directly for program-specific information.