UW hosted New Student Day on April 14 to welcome incoming UW freshmen and helped them get acquainted with campus by discussing student job opportunities, meeting with Advising Center Staff and learning more about fall classes.
“Our faculty wants you to succeed here, and I know you probably hear that a lot, but they do. They want to help you as much as they can along the way,” Director of Admissions Shelley Dodd said at the opening meeting of New Student Day.
“UW offers lots of opportunities that you’re going to find out about throughout the day as we welcome you here.”
During the event, students were split up into two groups, the first being taken to meet advising center staff to start their fall schedules. The second group started off by exploring campus and seeing points of interest.
In the afternoon, students were asked to switch groups and either go to the advising center staff or explore around campus.
New Student Day featured guest speakers who introduced students and their families to programs around campus.
Eric Kahl, Director of the Union and Director of the Center for Student Involvement and Leadership, spoke at New Student Day and shared what the Union represents for the university.
“Every college has a Student Union. The unique purpose of our union, though, is not to have any classes. You’re going to learn a lot in this building. You’re going to have a lot of life experiences in this building,” Kahl said.
“You’re going to grow and develop skills in this building. But you’re not going to take courses in this building. Rather, this building is dedicated to the community.”
Kahl also discussed the opportunities the Union offers, such as multiple student organizations, 150 student employment positions, Union After Dark events and Pokes Pub.
“This is a hangout for all of you. This is where you’re going to meet up with just a group of friends and grab some food at the Chick-Fil-A that opens up next year. You can go dancing every Thursday night with the Country Swing Dance Club,” Kahl said.
“There is always something going on in this building at any time that you can walk in here and participate in.”
Director of Residence Life and Associate Dean of Students Ryan Schamp shared what resident life is like, and discussed options for Freshman living arrangements on campus.
“The most accurate predictor of whether or not you’ll be a successful college student is the number of connections you make within the first six weeks of being here. Connections are anything from finding a job on campus to finding a professor you see as a great mentor,” Schamp said.
“Clicking with a community, getting along with your resident assistant, becoming good friends with your roommate, or finding a significant other. The more connections you make in those first six weeks, the more likely you are to persist.”
After all of the speeches and advising appointments, students were invited to a resource fair in the Arena-Auditorium, where students were introduced to multiple organizations and programs on campus.
Families also had the opportunity to view a preview of the Saddle Up program and the new changes that it has undergone.
