During the first week of the semester, the Student Activities Council will host Welcome Week for new and returning students, featuring activities such as a cookout, carnival rides and a club fair.
Welcome Week gives freshmen and new students an opportunity to meet new people and learn about organizations and events that interest them.
Planning for this semester’s Welcome Week began in the spring and continued into the summer, said Jessika Williams, the University Traditions Coordinator for the event. She said one of the council’s strengths is “being very prompt” because they want to be prepared for events like these.
“The goal of Welcome Week is to engage, excite and welcome students,” Williams said. “I’m personally excited about the entire week. If I had to pick what I’m really looking forward to, it’d be the roller skating and silent disco.”
On Aug. 27, the first day of classes, students can take part in the SAC Photobooth from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the University Center Atrium. On Aug. 28, students can attend the SAC Cookout and Carnival Rides on the Alumni Mall Lawn from noon to 4 p.m. and the SAC Night Crew: Roller Skating in the UC Ballroom AB from 8 to 10 p.m. On Aug. 29, students can stuff tigers in the UC from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The Registered Student Organization Involvement Fair is another Welcome Week event where campus organizations can set up informational booths for students to visit and learn more about getting involved on campus. This event will take place on the Alumni Mall Lawn from 1 to 4 p.m., the first day of classes. The U of M has more than 250 organizations for students to join, and representatives from groups will be there to speak to interested students about joining their organization.
“The RSO Fair pushed me to get involved by showcasing all of the organizations on campus,” said Kylee Todd, senior Pi Beta Phi member who was also a part of Student Government Association and a campus tour guide. “Coming into college, I knew I wanted to be involved, and the RSO fair made it easy to find information on organizations I was interested in, including my sorority, Pi Beta Phi.”
The National Panhellenic Council sororities and fraternities will also be doing a “stroll off” on the first day of classes in addition to participating in the RSO Fair.
Welcome Week began Aug. 24, the weekend before the semester started, and ends with the first home football game against Mercer University on Sept. 1.
