Student Life

Send-Off Parties & Launchpad Receptions

This autumn, students from across the country and around the world will converge on Hyde Park for the start of a new academic year. For the College, this is a time of traditions and new beginnings: Move-In Day, the Aims of Education, and O-Week. And for members of our parent and family and alumni communities it is a time to open their doors to welcome the students and parents in the Class of 2027 by hosting a Send-Off Party or Launchpad Reception.

Send-Off Parties and Launchpad Receptions are UChicago gatherings that bring together incoming students and their families with current students, parents, and alumni for an opportunity to build community, ask questions, and share insights. Students will have the opportunity to meet others from their area and get the inside scoop on life in Hyde Park. Events occur in cities across the US and abroad. Additional events may be added throughout the summer. If you have questions or know of an event occurring that we have missed, please email College Programming and Orientation at college-programming@uchicago.edu or call us at 773-702-8616.

2023 Send-Off Parties and Launchpad Receptions:

UChicago Launchpad - Boston

Saturday, August 26, 2:00-4:00pm
Hosted by UChicago Parents Deborah and Timothy Diggins
Boston Athenaeum
10-1/2 Beacon St
Boston, MA 02108
Register for UChicago Launchpad - Boston

UChicago Launchpad - Miami

Tuesday, August 29, 6:00-8:00pm
Hosted by UChicago Parents Elizabeth and Nathan Leight
3725 Leafy Way
Miami, FL 33133
Register for UChicago Launchpad - Miami

UChicago Launchpad - Houston

Wednesday, August 30, 6:00-8:00pm
Hosted by UChicago Parents Killian and Doug Gilbert-Smith
Cidercade Houston
2320 Canal St.
Houston, TX 77003
Register for UChicago Launchpad - Houston

UChicago Launchpad - Los Angeles

Wednesday, August 30, 7:00-9:00pm
Home of UChicago Parent Sharon Kwan, P'21, P'23
757 Anoakia Ln
Arcadia, CA 91006
Register for UChicago Launchpad - Los Angeles

UChicago Launchpad - Chicago

Thursday, August 31, 6:00-8:00pm
Hosted by UChicago Trustee Jason Tyler
University Club of Chicago
Front Grill - 7th Floor
76 East Monroe Street
Chicago, IL 60603
Register for UChicago Launchpad - Chicago

UChicago Launchpad - Dallas

Thursday, August 31, 6:30-8:30pm
Home of UChicago Parents Javier and Ceci Larraza
9312 Rockbrook Drive
Dallas, TX 75220
*Valet Parking will be available
Register for UChicago Launchpad - Dallas

UChicago Launchpad - DC

Thursday, August 31, 6:30-8:30pm
Home of UChicago Parents Solange Brown and John Reppas
2325 Tracy Pl NW
Washington, DC 20008
*Street parking can be difficult. Public transportation, taxi, or ride sharing such as Uber or Lyft is encouraged.
Register for UChicago Launchpad - DC

UChicago Launchpad - Seoul

Sunday, September 3, 6:00-8:30pm
Hosted by UChicago Alumni Joosung Lee, AB'01 and Kyoosun Lauren Min, AB'01
Seoul Club
86 Jangchungdan-ro, Jung-gu
Seoul, South Korea
Register for UChicago Launchpad - Seoul

UChicago Launchpad - Beijing

Tuesday, September 5, 7:00-9:00pm
Hosted By UChicago Parent Haitao Zhang
The University of Chicago Center in Beijing
20th Floor Culture Plaza
No. 59A Zhong Guan Cun Street
Haidian District
Beijing 100872
China
Register for UChicago Launchpad - Beijing

UChicago Launchpad - New York

Thursday, September 7, 6:00-8:00pm
Ainslie Bowery
199 Bowery
New York, NY 10002
Register for UChicago Launchpad - New York

UChicago Launchpad - Philadelphia

Thursday, September 7, 6:30-8:30pm
Hosted by UChicago Parents Dina and Charles Simonian
The Saturday Club
117 West Wayne Avenue
Wayne, PA 19087
Register for UChicago Launchpad - Philadelphia

UChicago Launchpad - Shanghai

Saturday, September 9, 1:00-3:00pm
Hosted by UChicago Parents Chunshan and Shanna Tang
ATLATL Innovation Center
1077 Zhangheng Rd., Pudong, Shanghai, China
Register for UChicago Launchpad - Shanghai

UChicago Launchpad - London

Sunday, September 10, 2:00-4:00pm
Home of UChicago Parents Nisreen and Zoeb Sachee
9 Greenaway Gardens
Hampstead
London NW3 7DJ
Register for UChicago Launchpad - London

UChicago Launchpad - Hong Kong

Sunday, September 10, 3:30-5:30pm
Hosted by UChicago Parents Wenisa Ma and Brian Gu
The Hong Kong Jockey Club University Of Chicago Academic Complex
The University Of Chicago Francis And Rose Yuen Campus In Hong Kong
168 Victoria Road, Mount Davis
Hong Kong
Register for UChicago Launchpad - Hong Kong

UChicago Launchpad - Geneva

Monday, September 11, 7:00-9:00pm
Home of UChicago Alumnus Stephanie Zocco, AB'88 and Giuseppe Zocco
Les Acanthes
411 Route d’Hermance
Anières 1247
Switzerland
Register for UChicago Launchpad - Geneva

UChicago Launchpad - Singapore

Thursday, September 14, 6:30-8:30pm
Home of UChicago Parents Jessica and Collins Roth
8 Gallop Road
Singapore, 258966
Register for UChicago Launchpad - Singapore