What to Bring, Meals, and Other Needs
Summer FOCUS Information
Please see the sections below for more details regarding what to bring to FOCUS, local lodging, and more.
First-year students will park in Lot 14 and check in at Harre Union the morning of their FOCUS session. The FOCUS session is done in the early evening. Students who are from outside the local area are encouraged to make a trip of the FOCUS experience by staying overnight in the area*, utilizing the time around FOCUS to explore the city of Valparaiso and the nearby Indiana Dunes.
Please bring the following to summer FOCUS:
- A reusable water bottle to use at fill stations throughout campus
- A book bag for carrying registration materials
- A pencil for creating and reworking schedule drafts
- A laptop for advising; the device can be older and/or borrowed. It does not need to be new.
- An umbrella/rain coat if rain is in the forecast for your session
- Clothing layers for air-conditioning inside and hot weather outside
- Comfortable walking shoes/sandals
*Students who are traveling by themselves from more than 2.5 hours away who don’t have anywhere else to stay may spend the night on campus the night before/after your FOCUS session. If this applies to you, and you need housing, please email first.year@valpo.edu at least 1 week prior to your FOCUS session.
Transfer students will park in Lot 14 and check in at Harre Union the morning of their FOCUS session. The FOCUS session is done in the early evening. Students who are from outside the local area are encouraged to make a trip of the FOCUS experience by staying overnight in the area*, utilizing the time around FOCUS to explore the city of Valparaiso and the nearby Indiana Dunes.
Please bring the following to summer FOCUS:
- A reusable water bottle to use at fill stations throughout campus
- A book bag for carrying registration materials
- A pencil for creating and reworking schedule drafts
- A laptop for advising; the device can be older and/or borrowed. It does not need to be new.
- An umbrella/rain coat if rain is in the forecast for your session
- Clothing layers for air-conditioning inside and hot weather outside
- Comfortable walking shoes/sandals
*Students who are traveling by themselves from more than 2.5 hours away who don’t have anywhere else to stay may spend the night on campus the night before/after your FOCUS session. If this applies to you, and you need housing, please email first.year@valpo.edu at least 1 week prior to your FOCUS session.
Families will park in Lot 14 when arriving on campus for FOCUS. Students will check in their pre-registered parents/guardians/family members at Harre Union. Families that are from outside the local area are encouraged to make a trip of the FOCUS experience by staying overnight in the area, utilizing the time around FOCUS to explore the city of Valparaiso and the nearby Indiana Dunes.
Please bring the following to summer FOCUS:
- An umbrella/rain coat if rain is in the forecast for your session
- Clothing layers for air-conditioning inside and hot weather outside
- Comfortable walking shoes/sandals
For All Participants
Meals
Dining included for all registered FOCUS participants includes breakfast, buffet lunch, and dinner, along with refreshments. Meals occur in Founders Table, the main dining hall which accommodates the most common dietary needs.
Local Lodging
If you are not from the local area, we recommend that you stay locally the night of your FOCUS date. Our FOCUS day will end around 7:30 p.m. and there is no better way to learn about our great town than by spending some more time here!
If you are looking for somewhere to stay in the Valparaiso area, please check out this link to find somewhere to stay.
Special Requests
Students and their attendees with special requests should notify FOCUS staff at 219.464.5411 at least 3 business days prior to arriving. We will do our best to work with you.
Please note that FOCUS requires much walking around campus and between buildings. Family members who are not able to walk a mile or more over the course of a day will find that FOCUS is not the best time to visit campus. For those in this situation, a weekend during the school year is a better time to visit campus.
Students: Contact the Access and Accommodations Resource Center before FOCUS if you seek accommodations related to housing, classes, or transportation.
Contact Us
first.year@valpo.edu
Ryan Bye, Director of Student Involvement & New Student Programs
Carolyn Whittier, Assistant Vice President of Student Life