Organizations involved in Welcome Week have been working on their preparations for the big week of Aug. 15-20 in the fall. 

Welcome Week is a week for incoming students to come on campus and get a head start on student engagement and activities before the semester begins. Many of Southeastern’s organizations are heavily involved with making this week enjoyable and informative for the students. 

The Campus Activities Board, who is in charge of helping out with Welcome Week, begin to reach out to multiple organizations every year in June to discuss dates and begin making event plans according to Angie Balius who is the reference outreach and instructional media librarian at Sims Memorial Library. 

“At Sims Library, Welcome Week is the first opportunity for us to greet students with a warm Southeastern welcome. During Welcome Week, students are bombarded with so much new information that it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. That is why I like to keep the messaging simple and clear: Sims Library is here to help you,” Balius said when describing the goal of the Library for Welcome Week. 

CAB’s mission is to provide students with social and enriching opportunities to be more involved on Southeastern’s campus, so they are definitely on board with putting in the work needed for this week.   

The leader who oversees the whole week is Marjorie Parker, the director of Student Engagement. 

Balius explained that the Sims Library will be hosting an event for Welcome Week on Aug.17 titled Lion Print Palooza, which will be focused on introducing incoming students to the staff at the library as well as how to work Lion Prints.

When coming up with their idea for Welcome Week, Balius mentioned that their team at the library tried to develop ideas that would be fun and informative. 

Assistant director for Competitive Sports and Fitness Services at the REC, Jason Templet, also shared a focus on the student’s interest when it comes to Welcome Week and how his team at the REC can make a good event. 

“We think about what could best help the students have a great first week of school. We also coordinate with others across campus for fun activities,” Templet explained. 

The REC plans to have a big night event at the REC for all of the students to meet up and enjoy  fun activities. “REC-a-PALOOZA” is scheduled for Aug. 16 from 6-10 p.m., according to the calendar on the website. 

Along with CAB, some of the other organizations that the REC works with for Welcome Week are the Office for Student Engagement, Multicultural and International Student Affairs, University Police Department, University Housing and Athletics. 

Many of the organizations coordinate with each other to try and work in a systematic and organized manner so that the week will go as smoothly as possible.

“We put a lot of thought into what students need and want,” Balius said when discussing what all of the organizations keep in mind as they prepare for the week.

When the involvement of the staff comes into place, Balius mentioned that the people involved from the staff were herself, along with Angela Dunnington, Head of Access Services and Janie Branham, the Interim Library Director. They will also be inviting student workers and other staff to help out for their event.

Templet mentioned that much of the REC’s staff will be involved in their event. 

While the REC will be preparing for their event activities, Sims Library staff will be getting their supplies ready such as brochures, snacks and souvenir pens for their event. 

For more information on Welcome Week, check back at lionsroarnews.com in the upcoming weeks as well as the Office of Student Engagement website and social media.