24th annual New Student and Family Convocation
When: Saturday, August 22, 2026
Time: 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Where: Viejas Arena, San Diego
New Student and Family Convocation (NSFC) is a celebration that signifies the beginning of all new first-year, transfer and graduate students’ academic journeys at SDSU. It is one of SDSU’s most time-honored traditions and serves as a bookend to commencement. Parents and family supporters are invited to attend. Attendees participate in a pinning ceremony that acknowledges the milestone and signifies their introduction into the SDSU community.
About
Who’s invited to NSFC?
We would like to invite all fall 2026 admitted first-year, transfer, graduate, Imperial Valley, Global Campus students and their parents and family supporters to attend NSFC.
What time is NSFC?
The show will start at 9:30 a.m. Performances have included, SDSU’s nationally ranked all-girl & coed Cheerleaders, the Marching Aztecs, SDSU’s nationally ranked Dance Team and the first collegiate majorette team on the west coast, the SDSU Diamonds! Performances are subject to change.
Please also join us for a Post-NSFC College Reception immediately after NSFC, from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., for a casual reception by your student's college community. Enjoy light refreshments while meeting college administrators, faculty, staff, fellow new students and their families. Designed in response to family feedback, this is a great opportunity to make connections and start building your community before the semester begins. The locations will be designated by college.
Attendees are encouraged to arrive early to enjoy student performances and secure their seats.
“It was a lovely ceremony. I got teary-eyed a few times. It's a great way to welcome students and families and I'm glad I attended.”
The event will be livestreamed on SDSU’s homepage for those who are not able to attend in person.
Day-of NSFC
Dress is casual. Attendees are encouraged to wear SDSU apparel. One sealed water bottle per person is permitted. Remember to adhere to Viejas Arena’s Clear Bag Policy.
Please refer to the “Prohibited Items” list under Viejas Arena’s A-Z Guide. Prohibited items include backpacks and luggage, reusable water bottles, pets (with the exception of service animals) and more. Please plan accordingly.
We encourage the use of the MTS trolley or bus to reach SDSU. SDSU is conveniently located on the MTS Green Line trolley and many MTS stations offer free parking. Google Maps and the Transit App provide directions to the SDSU Station via transit. The Green Line Guide is designed to help you navigate public transportation to and from SDSU with ease. Carpooling is strongly encouraged for those who drive, as campus parking is limited.
If you choose to drive, a valid parking permit is required on campus at all times. A courtesy valid parking permit for any non-reserved parking space will be available through the “Know before you go” email sent out one week before the event. The digital permit will be valid through Saturday, Aug. 22 at 11:59 p.m. PST and cannot be switched. We recommend parking in Structures 3, 4, 7 or 12.
A valid parking permit is required on campus at all times. Regulations are enforced at all times. Do not park in spaces marked as Faculty-Staff or in any reserved, or other specially marked space. Failure to obtain a valid parking permit may result in a citation.
For more information about parking and transportation options, visit the Transportation Services website.
NSFC will have general admission seating within each college section. SDSU Ambassadors and faculty/staff volunteers will guide attendees to the appropriate college sections.
It is important to sit in the student’s college section because students will be “presented” to their college dean. Please disregard the seat number on the ticket.
ASL Interpreters will be shown on the Jumbotron during the event for visibility to all who may need it within Viejas Arena. Live captioning will also be available on the Viejas Arena jumbotron and screens, in addition to mobile phone captions which will be accessible via QR code.
Guests needing to request disability-related accommodations should contact Student Disability Services by August 7, 2026. You may also review the accommodations offered by Viejas Arena.
Viejas Arena is a top-loading venue. Upon entering the arena, all guests will be at the top of each section. There is no bottom-level or mid-level guest entry into the arena. The row at the top of each section is row 36 and there are stairs that go down to the bottom of each section. All stairway aisles have handrails.
Row 36 is an accessible row that can be used by guests with mobility concerns (e.g., senior guests, guests who may have difficulty navigating stairs, guests who use a wheelchair for mobility).
Students and guests can contact the Viejas Arena Ticket Office at [email protected] with questions regarding tickets for guests with mobility concerns.
Student Disability Services will provide transportation services to Viejas Arena for guests who need it. Golf carts will circulate the main area of campus, with meeting spots at the Exercise and Nutritional Sciences building, Lamden Hall, and the footbridge by the Conrad Prebys Aztec Student Union. Golf carts are unable to cross streets to pick up or take riders to parking structures, residence halls, or any other location outside of the main area of campus. Please plan accordingly.
Cart Service Pickup Locations (Cart Service Pickup Locations Google Map)
- Viejas/PG
- ENS / ENS Annex
- Music
- Calpulli
- KPBS / SLHS
- AH (Adams Humanities)
- Transit Center
- Student Union (Conrad Prebys Aztec Student Union)
- Student Services West
- Student Services East
- Lamden Hall - S
- Lamden Hall - N
- North Education
- Dome (Library Dome)
- East Commons (Charles B. Bell Jr. Pavilion)/Bookstore
- Physics Astronomy/Physics
- EIS (Engineering and Interdisciplinary Sciences)
- GMCS (Geology, Mathematics, Computer Science) - North
- Engineering
- Love Library
- Life Sciences North
- Art - South
- Art - North
- Art and Letters
- Nasatir Hall/Storm Hall/Storm Hall West
- Ellen Ochoa Pavilion
- Professional Studies and Fine Arts
- Communications
- Bernstein Theater (Little Theater)
- Hardy Tower / Life Sciences South
- Hepner Hall
- Dramatic Arts
- GMCS (Geology, Mathematics, Computer Science) - South
- Physical Sciences
Attendees are encouraged to request golf cart service by August 7, 2026 using the Event Request for Cart Services form. For special transportation requests please contact [email protected]
Ticket Information
To attend, students must first create their GoAztecs account. About one month before NSFC, students can claim tickets for themselves and up to six of their parents/family supporters via an email sent to their SDSU email address. Instructions on setting up the GoAztecs account are below.
Students will have until Thursday, August 20, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. PT to claim their free tickets.
Tips for Signing onto GoAztecs
- The first time you visit the site, you will need to log in using your SDSU email address. If you do not have a Ticketmaster account with your SDSU email address, you will need to create one.
- To create a new account: Students can go to the GoAztecs Student page and select "Sign In" at the top right corner. They will need to create a new account by selecting "Sign Up" and use their SDSU email address to create their SDSU Student account.
- Once the student successfully creates their GoAztecs Student account, they will be able to claim their New Student and Family Convocation tickets via email. Once they are made available, students will also be able to claim their free tickets for the upcoming home football and basketball games.
- If you attempt to log in with your personal email address, you will not see your correct ceremony and will be unable to access your guest tickets. The student must claim the tickets using their SDSU email for their entire party, as parents and family supporters will not be able to claim tickets.
When you finish
Visit this website regularly for updates and changes.
Explanation of Fees
There are no fees to attend this event, because NSFC is one of the events covered by SDSU’s First Year Experience Fee, which includes all SDSU-approved student activities that occur during a student’s first year at SDSU, regardless of whether they are a first-year, transfer or graduate student.
Students can contact the Viejas Arena Ticket Office at [email protected] with questions regarding guest tickets.
Information is subject to change.
