BUIES CREEK – Hundreds of new freshmen will be arriving on the Buies Creek campus of Campbell University in less than a week and the University is preparing for their arrival.
The Student Activities department’s annual Welcome Week begins Saturday, Aug. 13, with a freshman move-in day and party in the Academic Circle, followed by a week’s worth of activities to make new and returning students feel comfortable and entertained in their home away from home.
“Our biggest goal is getting students out and getting them involved from the get-go,” said director of Student Activities Chris O’Connor. “We offer something pretty much every day to give them the opportunity to go out and meet people.”
The following are some of the highlights of the upcoming week and a complete schedule of Welcome Week:
MEDALLION CEREMONY
In a milestone year, Campbell University will welcome its 125th incoming freshman class with a convocation and medallion ceremony at 4 p.m. Sunday in the Gore Arena.
The tradition has each student walking to the front of the arena to receive a medallion engraved with the Campbell seal and his or her anticipated graduation date.
The deans of Campbell’s six colleges will present the medallions, which are provided by the Alumni Association and symbolize the University’s commitment and purpose.
The ceremony will be followed by dinner in the dining halls on Sunday.
CAMEL 101
Before classes officially begin Wednesday, new students will sit through two sessions of Camel 101 on Monday and Tuesday.
Day 1, set for 9 a.m., will provide a two-hour crash course in subjects helpful to most college students, such as campus safety, who to turn to for academic support and money management.
Day 2, which begins at 10 a.m. Tuesday, will focus on tips for staying fit and using the campus’ recreation facilities, keys to academic success and student rights and responsibilities.
“Camel 101 is like an extension of the orientations students go through in the summer,” O’Connor said. “This time we’re going a little more in-depth on some subjects, and the students are finding it helpful.”
Camel 101, which is entering its third year, is a product of Enrollment Management, a campus-wide initiative to monitor students from every aspect of university organization.
DAVE AND ETHAN
There’s a lot of “fun” in the 2011 Welcome Week, from bingo in Turner Auditorium Sunday night to the popular Party in the Park, featuring mud volleyball and waterslides, Friday afternoon.
“Thor” and “Pirates of the Caribbean 4” will be among the movies showing, and popular Oklahoma-based alternative rock band Safety Suit will perform in concert Thursday night.
But the event that has O’Connor most excited is a visit from the comedic duo, Dave and Ethan.
The self-proclaimed “dating coaches” will perform at Turner Auditorium at 8 p.m. Monday night and will host a “speed social” in Rumley at 10 p.m.
“We’re thrilled to have Dave and Ethan here … they’ve become popular with colleges around their nation, and they focus their whole routine around dating in college,” O’Connor said.
The duo, Dave Ahdoot and Ethan Fixell, became a comedy team in 2008 after posting ads on craigslist.com and YouTube, inviting pairs of girls to double date them. They chronicled their experiences on these dates in a series of video blogs, which quickly became a YouTube sensation.
Their experiences have made them “dating experts,” and Monday night’s show is part of their national tour “educating” students in the art of dating.
More information on Dave and Ethan can be found at their website, daveandethan.com, and information on Safety Suit can be found at safetysuitmusic.com. O’Connor said the general public will be allowed for Safety Suit at a price of $10 a ticket.
COMPLETE SCHEDULE
Saturday, Aug. 13
? 9 a.m.-5 p.m.: Freshmen move in to residence halls
? 5 p.m.: Dinner at the Convocation Center, arena floor
? 6 p.m.: Welcome to CU at the Convocation Center
? 6:30 p.m.: Welcome Party in Academic Circle
? 9 p.m.: Residence Hall meetings
? 11 p.m.: Movie: Fast Five in Turner Auditorium
Sunday, Aug. 14
? 9 a.m.-5 p.m.: Transfer students and returning students move-in
? 3:30 p.m.: Freshmen meet in the lobby of their residence hall
? 3:30 p.m: Transfer and new commuter students meet in Convocation Center lobby
? 4 p.m.: New student Convocation & Medallion Ceremony in Gore Arena
? 5:30 p.m.: Dinner in the dining halls
? 9 p.m.: Bingo in Turner Auditorium
? 9:45 p.m.: Ice Cream Party in Academic Circle (event starts after bingo)
? 11:30 p.m.: Midnight shuttles to Walmart from the Fine Arts lot
Monday, Aug. 15
? 8-8:45 a.m.: Mini orientation check-in at D. Rich
? 9-11 a.m.: Camel 101 Session I in Turner Auditorium (D. Rich)
? 11 a.m.: New student registration in the Convocation Center
? 11 a.m.: Sign-ups for the Water Park trip open at the Info Desk in the Wallace Student Center.
? 2 p.m.: Library orientation (last names A-F) in front of the Library; ETS test for G-L in Ellis Theater
? 3 p.m.: Library orientation (last names G-L) in front of the Library; ETS test for A-F in Ellis Theater
? 4 p.m.: Department meetings at your department’s assigned location
? 5 p.m.: President’s Picnic (cookout with faculty and students) in Gore Arena
? 8 p.m.: Dave and Ethan, comedy dating coaches, in Turner Auditorium
? 10 p.m.: Speed Social with Dave and Ethan in the Rumley Center
Tuesday, Aug. 16
? 9 a.m.: Registration in the Convocation Center
? 9 a.m.-noon: International student orientation in Lynch Auditorium (Inside LF School of Business)
? 10 a.m.-noon: Camel 101 Session II in Turner Auditorium (D. Rich)
? 10 a.m.-noon: Staying Fit/Campus Recreation, Keys to Academic Success, CU Athletics, Rights & Responsibilities
? 2 p.m.: Library orientation (last names M-R) in front of D. Rich; ETS test for S-Z in Ellis Theater
? 3 p.m.: Library Orientation (last names S-Z) in front of D. Rich; ETS test for M-R in Ellis Theater
? 6-8 p.m. Street Fair and Poster Sale in Fellowship Commons
? 9 p.m.: Outdoor Movie “Thor” in Fellowship Commons
Wednesday, Aug. 17
? 8 a.m.: Classes begin
? 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Poster sale in the Student Center
? 7 p.m.: United Campus Ministry Night in Turner Auditorium
? 10 p.m.: Residence Hall meetings
Thursday, Aug. 18
? 7 p.m.: “Meet the Men’s Soccer Team” Night and Black and Orange Game at Eakes Athletics Complex with free food
? 9 p.m.: Concert: Safety Suit in Turner Auditorium
Friday, Aug. 19
? 1-5 p.m. Drop/Add
? 2-6 p.m. Party in the Park (includes mud volleyball, water slides, food and entertainment in Saylor Park
? 9 p.m.: Movie “Pirates of the Caribbean 4” in Turner Auditorium
Saturday, Aug. 20
? 8 a.m.: Emerald Pointe Wet ‘n Wild Water Park Trip departs. You must sign up prior to the trip.
— by Billy Liggett