Christmas at Siena brings students together with employees and their families for a tree lighting, hot chocolate, performances by The Siena College Choirs, and even a visit from Santa himself. This annual tradition transforms Siena Hall into a holiday wonderland before our Saints depart for winter break. 

Siena College Homecoming brings together alumni, students, parents, family and friends to celebrate what it means to be a Saint. 

Events include: Homecoming Pep Rally, Alumni gatherings, a Homecoming Dance, the annual Veteran's Recognition Dinner, a mass and reception, and the Homecoming athletic games. 

Studying may provide the greatest influence on a final exam score, but don't discount the power of a blessed mind and a satisfied stomach. Every semester on the day before finals begin, students gather for the Blessing of the Brains, offered by the friars. The student also get their Bs (bagels, bacon, and bananas) before striving for their As.

Every year Siena's Habitat for Humanity club hosts Mr. Siena — a mock beauty pageant. Each year during spring break, Siena sends four groups of students to different locations to construct homes for those in need and the money raised during Mr. Siena helps to fund those trips. It also supports the Albany chapter of Habitat for Humanity. 

Our Saints say Siena’s end of the academic year festival is all about…

“Getting free food, hanging out with friends, playing cornhole.”

That’s all part of the experience, but Sienafest is more than that, it’s…

“Remarkable, memorable, honestly I have no words.”

Well, that almost captures it! But, how about: 

“Sienafest is the best day of my entire life!”

The College hosts an annual Unity Day event at Nigro Plaza that featured contributions from students to observe Juneteenth and demonstrate Siena’s commitment to strengthening the bonds of racial justice. The community celebrates Juneteenth again closer to the actual June 19 holiday; Unity Day is held toward the end of the spring semester so the College can observe Juneteenth as a full community.

The College's namesake city, Siena, Italy, where the Siena College patron saint so often preached, is an ancient town in the hills of Tuscany. To this day, it retains a neighborhood-centric culture reminiscent of medieval times. Siena is divided into 17 Contrade, unique wards named after an animal or a symbol of nature - all with their own colors and identity. The symbols of those 17 Italian Contrade now frame the Nigro Family plaza on campus, and community members are gifted a flag of their choosing when they begin their Siena journey. 

Siena men's and women's basketball face off against their cross-town rivals the University at Albany for the annual Albany Cup game. As of 2023, the Saints and the Danes have gone head-to-head for the Albany Cup for 18 seasons.

At our annual Gold Rush game against archrival Iona, Siena fans are encouraged to wear gold to show their support of the Saints, and the first 1,000 fans in attendance receive a free Gold Rush t-shirt.

During the College’s Family Weekend festivities, students and families take advantage of a chance to bring their pets to school for the annual Blessing of the Animals. The event is the culmination of Francis Week, which consisted of academic, spiritual and community-focused programming that coincides with the Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi.

Every weekend, “Siena Night Life” livens up the Sarazen Student Union with programs such as trivia night, open mic nights, scavenger hunts and casino night. But what event brings hundreds of students from campus together for some fun competition? B-I-N-G-O.

Inside the Siena Hall dome, you'll find a spectacular display of color-changing lights. These lights have been programmed to change to a variety of different hues, each with its own special meaning. These colors have been chosen to reflect different events, seasons, and celebrations taking place on campus.

On the first night of Orientation, all new students gather on the Nigro Family Plaza to reflect on what their time as Saints will be, visualizing themselves overcoming any obstacle they see standing in their way. Those responses were given to the College friars who placed them in barrels which were lit to symbolically allow new dreams to emerge. 

Saints then participated in a procession to the Bells of Remembrance, and as the students crossed under the arch, the friars were presented to offer a welcome and a greeting or blessing.