September 24, 2026
Now that the Autumn Equinox has passed and Orientation Week is underway, summer is officially in the rearview mirror, and a new academic year is upon us. Along with crisp air and changing colors across campus comes a full slate of programming from Campus and Student Life designed to help students get involved, connect with their peers, explore new interests, and support their well-being.
If you’re looking for ways to get involved on campus, head to the Center for Leadership and Involvement’s annual Engagement Expo on the Main Quad on October 2. More than 400 departments and Registered Student Organizations will be there to share information about what they do on and around campus, making the Expo a great opportunity to discover new communities and activities. In addition to learning about campus organizations, students can enjoy giveaways, snacks, ice cream, and games.
For students looking to take their involvement a step further, CLI’s Uncommon Leadership Series returns this quarter beginning October 15 with Think You Know What a Leader Looks Like?
“Our Uncommon Leadership Series is a quarterly workshop series where we challenge students to think critically about their personal leadership styles and explore opportunities to deepen and develop their skills as a student leader,” says CLI Director Jimmy Brown. “For our autumn session, we are excited to host this interactive conversation where students can begin to understand their own definitions of leadership and how our various identities have affected that definition.”
If you want to get involved in the broader Hyde Park community, visit the University Community Service Center Volunteer Fair on October 7 from 2-5 p.m. in the Edelstone Center. The event gives students the chance to meet community partners and learn about volunteer and paid opportunities across Chicago and the South Side. Explore ways to get involved in youth work, sustainability, housing, refugees, seniors, non-profits, community engagement, and more.
Another big event taking over the Main Quad is Student Wellness’ annual Wellapalooza on October 6 from noon to 3 p.m. “We are excited to kick off the school year with one of our most anticipated events, Wellapalooza!” says Emily Scott, Assistant Director of Health Promotion: Operations, Administration, and Compliance for Student Wellness. “We’ll bring together campus and community partners to share information about available services and resources; we’ll have inflatable carnival games, a photobooth, a balloon artist, and more! Through Wellapalooza, we encourage students to play and have fun as a means to destress, boost creativity, improve social connection, and more!”
For those looking to slow down and recenter amid the busy start to the academic year, Spiritual Life and Rockefeller Chapel offer an array of meditation and yoga classes throughout the quarter. Spiritual Life is also partnering with the Smart Museum of Art on the must-see How Do We Heal? Exhibition, which explores the connections between art and healing.
“Art and spirituality have always shared a deep connection. Both invite us to look closer, reflect, and find meaning,” says Jigna Shah, Director of Spiritual Life and Senior Associate Dean of Rockefeller Chapel. “At Spiritual Life, we constantly look for ways to support our community’s well-being beyond traditional boundaries. Partnering with the Smart Museum on their How Do We Heal? exhibit allows us to merge mindfulness through ancient spiritual practices of meditation and yoga with contemplative art viewing.”
If you’re looking to expand your horizons beyond campus, check out International House’s Global Voices Performing Arts and Lecture Series. The series hosts prominent speakers, roundtable discussions, and special interest conferences and seminars to advance cross-cultural understanding and public discourse on major community, national, and world affairs. The series also brings a wide range of Chicago-area and global cultural institutions, ethnic and folk arts groups, and performing arts organizations to International House, providing students with opportunities to experience new perspectives through different forms of artistic expression.
Join I-House on October 7 at 5 p.m. for The Declaration of Independence (1776): Why it Still Matters for Modern Democracy. The first event in a series of panel discussions about the seminal Democratic Texts, why it was written, its immediate consequences, and its enduring significance.
But that’s not all. If you’re looking to get into the school spirit, cheer on the Maroons at one of their many home games this season, including the Homecoming and Hall of Fame Game on October 17. Or get into the Halloween spirit and venture to Rockefeller Chapel for their annual Halloween Horror Film Classic, which will screen the original Nosferatu with a live organ accompaniment.
This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to CSL events. Check the CSL Instagram page to learn more about how you can get involved and make the most of your time on campus this quarter.