Season’s Greetings: Big Campus Changes, Events to Welcome New, Returning Students

When students return for fall semester, some key physical changes to campus will be obvious, but the familiar traditional welcoming activities meant to celebrate their return and ease them back into their academic lives will provide continuity.
The following is a non-comprehensive list of projects and activities that illustrate the improvements UF is making, along with its community-building efforts that both assist, educate and entertain during what can be a stressful transitional period.

New furniture is included in Alumni Memorial Union common area renovations.

• Center for Student Life and College of Business – It might sound like there’s a T-Rex over there, but that’s not the case! A predominantly dry summer means construction is slightly ahead of schedule. Steel beams are up and several structures that accommodated faculty offices, programs and students are down. The center is expected to open in time for the fall 2017 semester.
• Alumni Memorial Union – It hasn’t had a facelift since about 2000, but recent renovations, funded by the UF Parent Fund and Student Government Association, are wrapping up. New furniture in the atrium and fireside areas will accommodate more people, new carpet by the fireplace will give that space a different look and lighting is being installed. Even those old plastic plants in the atrium are being removed.
• Croy Gymnasium – Phase 2 of the gym’s renovations was completed in June. A redesigned court was installed to match the gray gym walls, black bleachers, orange reserve section and new signs. Fresh logo images, along with black key and free-throw line areas contrast with white boundaries to give the court a clean and modern look.

Move-in day 2015 featured abundant smiles and sunshine.

• Ceremony and Tradition – Thursday, Aug. 18 will feature move-in day for many students, and the annual undergraduate Arch Ceremony. Upperclass students, along with faculty and staff, lend some muscle to help students move into the dormitories. Friday, President Katherine Fell, Ph.D., and others welcome new students before they make their march through the arch, a longstanding tradition that symbolizes the beginning of their academic lives at UF. Legend has it that students who walk through the arch again before graduation won’t receive their degrees.
• Service Above Self – For the 13^th consecutive year, new students will be introduced to the community surrounding the University by giving back to it via the Orientation Service Project. About 650 students will be participating in 72 projects ranging from assisting the Children’s Museum of Findlay with its Touch a Truck event to weeding flower beds at Riverdale Local Schools. “Our community partners get willing hands and energetic smiles in addition to welcoming our new students into their nonprofit agencies, schools and churches,” explained Crystal Weitz, director of service and community engagement at UF’s Buford Center for Diversity and Service.
• More Fellowship – On Sunday, Aug. 21, the University will host the annual New Year at UF Celebration Picnic, a campus-wide event that draws students, faculty staff and their families with delicious Sodexo-catered cuisine and free ice cream.
• Welcome Week – For the first week of classes, which begin Monday, Aug. 22, Welcome Week prevails. As students find out about all valuable knowledge they’ll be acquiring during this semester, they’ll also be able to unwind with activities such as mud volleyball hosted by Sigma Kappa, and with cookies and milk offered by Counseling Services.

For a more detailed events listing, visit http://calendar.findlay.edu/