Southeastern launches semester with Welcome Week
Tuesday, August 8, 2017
by: Rene Abadie
HAMMOND – Students new and returning to Southeastern Louisiana University are invited
to jumpstart the fall semester with a multitude of activities and events offered through
Welcome Week.
Scheduled Aug. 13-18, Welcome Week is intended to help students make Southeastern
their home away from home and to settle into campus life as classes begin, said Eric
Summers, vice president of Student Affairs.
“Adjusting to university life can be challenging, especially for new, beginning
students,” Summers said. “Our hope is that their participation in Welcome Week will
lessen their anxieties and prepare them for a successful semester.”
Welcome Week starts Sunday, Aug. 13, in the Student Union Ballroom with “Move-in
Mane-ia,” scheduled from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Students are to check in at the Student
Union where they will meet their residence assistants, pick up keys and participate
in a one-stop-shop of information and services available to resident students. Volunteers
will be available to help students settle into the university’s residence halls.
Dinner will be held 4 to 6 p.m. on the second floor of the Student Union. Resident
students and family members are invited to enjoy their first meal in Southeastern’s
innovative dining hall, the Mane Dish. Later that evening at 7 p.m., “Lion Craze”
will feature high-energy socializing and Playfair guided audience interaction at the
Pennington Student Activity Center, where students will have the opportunity to learn
about Southeastern traditions and their history.
Monday, Aug. 14, starts with A-Mane-zing Race, a week-long treasure hunt for
freshman students. Students will seek the locations of campus resources using clues
posted on the Student Affairs social media accounts or following a paper copy available
in the Office of Student Engagement. Participants will be able to earn Truck Bucks
for use at the Friday food truck rally.
Monday will also include Taking Care of Business, where students can obtain textbooks
and tend to any financial transactions from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oops, I Forgot entails
free trips to Hammond Square Mall where students can pick up last-minute essential
items from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. And Monday will close out with a 6:30 p.m. paint
party at Lee Hall Field located in the campus housing complex.
Tuesday, Aug. 15, is Freshman Success Day, a mandatory gathering for all entering
freshmen as they begin their collegiate careers at Southeastern. Intended for beginning
freshmen and transfer students, the event will be held at the University Center on
North Campus. Check-in is from 2:30 – 3:30 p.m., where students can meet their peers,
get additional information on meal plans and other dining options, and enter to win
door prizes. Lion Up-Roar starts at 4 p.m. where students will be re-welcomed by orientation
leaders and introduced to Southeastern Experience 101 instructors and other staff.
They will also receive pointers from a recent graduate on making their first year
a success.
The evening concludes at 5:30 p.m. with Strawberry Jam, the traditional kick-off
party for all students sponsored by Southeastern Athletics to take place in Cook Field
located between University Center and the Alumni Center on University Avenue. The
event features music, interactive games, free food and t-shirts. Football, soccer
and volleyball players will be on hand to greet students and welcome their attendance
at fall games.
On the first day of class, Wednesday, Aug. 16, students can stop by the Just
Ask Me tents in the Student Union Quad and outside the Pennington Student Activity
Center to get answers to all their first-day questions from Division of Student Affairs
Leadership Ambassadors. Maps and other resources will be available at the tents, which
will be open from 7:30 to 11 a.m. University Police officers will be in the Student
Union and the Pennington Center from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. for Blue and You: Cool Off
with Cops to hand out water and answer students’ questions. Also, from noon to 2 p.m.,
students can find out more about involvement in university organizations during Get
the Scoop in the Student Union Quad where they will be treated to a Louisiana summer
favorite -- snowballs.
The day concludes with CAB after Dark from 7 to 11 p.m. in the Student Union
Park. Sponsored by the Campus Activities Board, the event is a late night block party
that will include a live DJ dance party, games and food.
Thursday, Aug. 17, will again feature the Just Ask Me tents from 7:30 to 11 a.m.
and outside the Pennington Center and in the Student Union Quad. Also on Thursday,
from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Student Union Mall, students can participate in City
Sampler, where area businesses will be distributing free food, giveaways and coupons.
And from 3 to 6 p.m. at the Pennington Center, students can beat the heat with inflatable
water slides while getting information about intramural sports and fitness classes
provided by the Department of Recreational Health and Fitness.
On Friday, Aug. 18, new students are invited to join athletic team members for
the Team UP! community service event to perform a few hours of service at several
athletic facilities. Students will assemble in the Student Union Mall at 12:30 p.m.
Also, from 6 to 10 p.m., students can participate in the Welcome Week Block Party
on SGA Drive. Sponsored by the Student Government Association, the Office of Student
Engagement and University Housing, the party will include a Greek showcase, surprise
celebrity guest and food truck rally, where students can use earned Truck Bucks or
purchase food with cash.
For more information on any Welcome Week activities or events, go to www.southeastern.edu/welcomeweek or contact the Office of Student Engagement at 985-549-2120.
