Welcome Weekend: Honors Prologue
Prologue 2026
Friday, September 18 – Saturday, September 19
Registration
Registration opens Wednesday, July 15.
What is Honors Prologue?
Honors Prologue is your first opportunity to connect in-person with your new college community and start making friends! All incoming Honors students are invited to participate in this Welcome Weekend event. During Prologue, incoming students are introduced to Honors staff and advisors, faculty, campus, and the region. With the goal of getting students familiar with the WTA Bus System and Bellingham, upperclassmen lead groups of students to various sessions on campus and across town. Sessions range in activity level from short hikes to museum visits.
Note: Incoming students can participate in BOTH Honors Prologue and Viking Launch!
Event Details
Friday, September 18, 2026 2:00-5:00 PM (check-in starts at 1:30 PM)
Check in for Honors Prologue with Honors staff and faculty in the afternoon to kick off the Welcome Weekend. Explore the campus community with an interactive scavenger hunt. Connect with upperclassmen and learn how to get involved across campus and in Honors!
Saturday, September 19, 2026 All day anticipated
Get to know your Honors cohort while exploring what the Bellingham area has to offer. Select from 15+ local Bellingham excursions from Western's campus, Downtown, and Fairhaven. Please reach out if you have accessibility questions or need accommodations.
Important Notes:
- Breakfast, lunch, and entry fees for local excursions on Saturday are included in the $75 registration fee.
- Prologue waivers are automatically granted in cases of financial hardship and based on Pell Grant eligibility and Expected Family Contribution (EFC). Additional information about Pell eligibility is available online.
- Registration opens on July 15 and closes on August 31. The last day to cancel and receive a refund is September 2.
- Honors Prologue participation is optional.
Session Options
Students will select a pair of sessions, one for the morning and one for the afternoon. Pairs of sessions are predetermined and will be available to view within the registration form.
Low Physical Activity
CreativiTea is a pottery paining studio located in Fairhaven. Students will unleash their creativity by painting a piece during the session. They will be able to pick up their finished piece from the Honors Center after it has been fired.
Visit Western's very own planetarium, right on campus! Explore stars, planets, and constellations through a guided tour of the night sky and then watch one of the planetarium's shows.
Learn to juggle in Boulevard Park with Psychology and Honors Faculty Fellow, Dr. Christie Scollon, and local celebrity and Guinness World Record Holder, Owen the Juggler. Folks of all skill levels are welcome. No hand-eye-coordination is necessary. All participants will get to take home a complimentary set of practice bean bags.
The SPARK Museum holds a world-class collection of artifacts representing the historic development of electricity, radio, and early technology - including pieces from Thomas Edison's laboratory. The centerpiece is a fantastic ‘Cage of Doom’, where visitors (aged 18+) are invited to enter and are bombarded with volts of loose electricity blasting out of one of the largest Tesla coils in the country.
Gather at indie bookstore Village Books for a sociable writer’s workshop and bookstore browse with Honors professor, Dr. Julie Dugger. Meet fellow students with an interest in writing and spend time at one of Bellingham's favorite bookstores!
Western's backyard, Sehome Hill Arboretum, is a City of Bellingham park jointly owned and managed by the City of Bellingham and Western Washington University. Join us for a creative escape into nature, where you’ll slow down, soak in the scenery, and let the forest inspire your art.
Bellingham's Old City Hall has been home to the Whatcom Museum since 1941, and was the first site in Washington State to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Old City Hall is open with historical exhibitions while the Lightcatcher hosts a rotating schedule of art exhibitions throughout the year.
It's time to play! Explore game styles, meet new people, and think about how you approach challenges. Join first year faculty, Dr. Sarah Watkins, to dive into fun discussion and play. No experience required!
Moderate Physical Activity
Bowling is a game of calculation and skill, but it’s also a sport of leisure, camaraderie, and humor. Have a good time with new friends bowling at Bellingham's oldest bowling alley.
Discover the thrill of boomerangs, where you'll learn techniques that blend physics, sport, and outdoor fun. Dr. Ed Love, Marketing, will teach you to throw, catch, and do tricks with a variety of specialty handmade boomerangs - just bring your arm and a smile. If you happen to be left-handed, please let us know in advance.
WWU’s Outback Farm is a student-driven, 5-acre farm on south campus. Started in 1972, the Outback is a place to learn about permaculture practices, chickens, bees, production rows, vernal pools, and wetlands. This guided tour will be led by Fairhaven faculty, John Tuxill and Outback Farm Manager, Terri Kempton.
Learn about Western's campus heating distribution infrastructure on an Underground Tunnel Tour. Led by professional staff in Facilities Management, you'll learn how nearly every building on campus receives steam for heating and building hot water through a central system, served by boilers at a central steam plant. This session will open your eyes to an important function of the university...under the classrooms.
*Please note that the tunnels are HOT and students are encouraged to wear pants and closed toed shoes.
High Physical Activity
Climbing combines strength, flexibility and problem solving in a fun way that builds your body and your mind. Test your climbing skills on the Wade King Rec Center rock wall with SRC staff. Whether you’re learning basic rock climbing techniques or are a seasoned boulder-er, connect with fellow climbers as you work on your footwork, body positioning, and route mapping.
Explore Whatcom Falls Park with Honors Professor Dr. Lori Martindale. The park has four sets of waterfalls and several miles of well maintained walking trails. Constructed from salvaged Chuckanut sandstone, the parks famous bridge’s materials once formed the arches of a downtown Bellingham building.
Bike through Bellingham with bikes from the WWU Outdoor Center! A great way to get around town, learn the ins and outs of navigating Bellingham on bike. Equipment supplied unless you prefer to ride your own bike.
Move In
Honors students participating in Honors Prologue are recommended to move in to the residence halls on Thursday, September 17th or Friday, September 18th in order to get the most out of the Prologue schedule. For specifics on move-in dates and times, please contact University Residences at (360) 650-6565, housing@wwu.edu or visit the housing move-in website.