Ashley Rich is eager to start her academic journey through The University of Memphis.
Rich, a biology major, is one of many freshmen who will take part in Welcome Back Week Aug. 26 through Sept. 5.
Events this fall begin at 4 p.m. Aug. 26 on the West Hall lawn with a Warm Welcome Picnic. Students will receive an official welcome to The University and learn about the week’s activities.
Classroom tours begin on Aug. 27 on the second floor of The University Center from 11 a.m. to noon. The tours help incoming freshmen as well as other students find their classes.
The Frosh Camp Reunion will be held from noon to 2 p.m. Aug. 27 at the Student Recreation Center. Students who attended Frosh Camp will unite with their counselors and friends they met at camp.
Color Me Greek will take place Aug. 28 from 2 to 4 p.m. in the Panhellenic Building. Women interested in joining a sorority should attend to find out more about going through recruitment.
Frosh Frenzy will be the finale event on Sept. 5 at the first home football game. Freshmen will take the field and form a human tunnel for the Tiger football team to run through as they begin their new season.
Justin Lawhead, associate dean of students at The U of M, said the division of student affairs is more focused on Welcome Back Week for the fall in an effort to promote more student involvement in campus activities.
This fall marks the first time Welcome Back Week has been a University-wide effort.
Shelby Gardner, a sophomore exercise sports science major from Clarksville, Tenn., went to most events last year and said she is planning to attend this year. She hopes there will be more planned activities this year.
“I think there should be more structured activities because it was usually just mingling (last year),” Gardner said.
Sheron Taylor, a sophomore biology major from Jackson, Tenn., said she attended last year’s events and will be working at many of them this year.
“I encourage everyone to go,” Taylor said. “I liked everything last year.”
Like Taylor, Rich said she is looking forward to the week.
“I don’t really know a lot of people coming to Memphis, so I am planning on meeting lots of people by going to events on campus,” she said.
