A New Year of Campus Life Begins at Stony Brook Southampton

A boat ride on Shinnecock Bay. Coffee and bagels with classmates. A trip into Southampton Village. An afternoon at Cooper's Beach. Art workshops, yoga classes, kayaking, live music, community service and maybe even a photo with Wolfie, Stony Brook University's beloved mascot.

As Stony Brook Southampton on Tuckahoe Road prepares to welcome new and returning students for the 2026-27 academic year, the Office of Student Life has planned a full calendar of activities designed to help students connect with one another, explore the East End and become involved in campus life.

"Graduate school can be demanding, and many of our students are coming to a new campus and a new community," said Richard Czyzyk, director of Student Life at Stony Brook Southampton. "We want to give them opportunities to meet people, get involved and really experience Long Island's East End community."

The new academic year begins with Week of Welcome activities (August 17-21), giving students opportunities to meet classmates and become familiar with the campus and surrounding community. Throughout the semester, Rise & Connect brings students together on Wednesday mornings in the library for coffee, conversation and a chance to connect with the Southampton community. Other activities include Commuter Coffee Cafés, Sip & Paint, Self-Care Spa Day, Wellness Wednesdays, and free concerts and art exhibitions at the Avram.

"These informal gatherings can make a real difference," Czyzyk said. "You come in for a cup of coffee and end up meeting someone in another program who you might never have crossed paths with otherwise. Those connections are what build a campus community."

At Stony Brook Southampton, the East End extends the student experience beyond the classroom, from kayaking on Shinnecock Bay and trips to Cooper's Beach to performances at the Avram Theater and excursions into Southampton Village, Southampton Playhouse, Bay Street Theater, and restaurants and cafes offer discounts to students like The Golden Pear Café, American Pie Pizzeria, Hampton Bay Bagels, and 75 Main, which was featured on the television series, Serving the Hamptons.

Students can explore the campus itself, including the FoodLab and community gardens, the historic windmill and the waterfront setting at the Marine and Atmospheric Sciences Research Center overlooking Shinnecock Bay. Throughout the year, signature Southampton experiences include seasonal whale- and seal-watching excursions, weekend kayaking on Shinnecock Bay and the annual Warner's Island cleanup as part of the Greater East End Clean Up Project.

Beyond campus, students can visit Southampton Village for shopping, restaurants, arts and entertainment. Suffolk County Transit provides another way for students to travel between the campus and destinations throughout the area.

"Being surrounded by water and so close to Southampton Village gives us a tremendous setting for student life," Czyzyk said. "Experiences such as boat excursions, kayaking on Shinnecock Bay and exploring the village have become Southampton traditions that connect students to the East End community."

The Southampton experience is also open to students from Stony Brook University's main campus. Students can participate in Southampton activities and excursions, attend performances at the Avram Theater and spend time on the East End. Southampton students, in turn, can travel to the main campus for Stony Brook traditions, athletics at LaValle Stadium, lectures, student activities and events such as the Roth Regatta.

Families will also have an opportunity to experience Southampton. Family Weekend features a boat cruise for students and parents on Saturday, October 3, at 2 pm. Parents who park at the Stony Brook campus will be bused to Southampton for the excursion.

Classes begin August 24, with approximately 500 students attending Stony Brook Southampton through the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, School of Health Professions and Department of Creative Writing, Film and Television.

Graduate students pursue studies in creative writing, marine science, physical therapy, physician assistant studies and speech-language pathology, bringing together students from a range of disciplines on the Southampton campus.