Pre-WOW Programs

The Startup of You is a 1.5‑day immersive experience designed to help students start college with clarity, confidence, and community. Designed with first‑year women in mind—and open to all—this program creates space to reflect on who you are, who you want to become, and how you want to show up in your college experience. Through hands‑on workshops, conversations, creative activities, and community building, participants will build practical tools for goal‑setting, self-advocacy, and navigating a new academic and social environment. Students will connect with one another, learn from slightly older peers who have navigated similar paths, and experiment with new ways of thinking about confidence, doubt, and growth. Along the way, participants will develop strategies for moving forward with intention—while forming meaningful relationships that can last well beyond the program.

Dates: September 1–2, 2026 

Cost: $300  

Hosted By: Accelerate 

Staff Contacts: Ashley Lucas (lucasa1@wit.edu) and Yonalis Rosario Perez (perezy3@wit.edu) 

This is a two-day experiential program for students focused on living a healthy and active lifestyle. Participants will engage with all three functional areas of the Center for Wellness: Counseling, Health Promotion, and Fitness and Wellness.  Students will get to participate in a tour and demonstration of the Schumann Fitness Center, meet with a dietitian, and learn skills about how to navigate their first year from our counselors.  Additionally, students will spend an afternoon serving the local community at our partner Community Servings and an afternoon kayaking on the Charles River seeing the beauty of Boston from a different angle. 

Dates: September 1–2, 2026

Cost: $125 

Hosted By: Health and Wellness 

Staff Contacts: Mike Williams (williamsm10@wit.edu) and Leanne Fisher (fisherl1@wit.edu)

Incoming students in the School of Architecture and Design will participate in a two-hour team-based discovery rally that introduces them to Wentworth, the surrounding city, and the culture of design education. Working in small groups, students will navigate a series of clues, observation challenges, photo missions, and micro-challenges that lead them through significant buildings, public spaces, landscapes, and cultural destinations within walking distance of campus. The rally is designed around two core ideas: designers must learn to recognize and understand surrounding systems; and design is a collaborative and enjoyable process. Students will work together to solve challenges, observe the built environment, and discover the many ways design shapes everyday life. The experience will conclude in a studio space where teams will participate in a rapid design challenge inspired by their discoveries during the rally. The event will end with refreshments, a showcase of teamwork and photographs, and a series of fun awards celebrating creativity, collaboration, and exploration. 

Dates: September 2, 2026 

Cost: $75 per student  

Hosted By: School of Architecture and Design  

Staff Contacts: Dean Sedef Doganer (doganers@wit.edu)