UF Weekend Activities Celebrate Semester's Start by Welcoming Students, Benefiting Community

The University of Findlay was a hub of activity over the weekend, and consequently so was the region as thousands of students and their families prepared for the upcoming school year.
Classes for the regular fall semester started today, but many began arriving on campus Thursday and Friday. Move-in day for many was Thursday, and an undergraduate Arch Ceremony for freshmen and other new students was held Friday after a heavy afternoon downpour.
On Saturday, about 550 first-year students, along with 112 project leaders, participated in this year’s Orientation Service Project. Groups fanned out across the city, Hancock County and some surrounding counties to lend a hand in various ways. Some projects included serving breakfast to senior citizens, assisting at the “Touch-a-Truck” event held at the Findlay Village Mall to benefit the Children’s Museum of Findlay, cleaning the banks of the Blanchard River, and completing yard work at several locations.
According to Crystal Weitz, director of service and community engagement at UF’s Buford Center for Diversity and Service, nearly 2,000 service hours were logged.
Students, faculty and staff also enjoyed some down time prior to courses commencing. For instance, this year, the University used large letters to spell out “Oilers.” The missing ‘i’ encouraged participation for photo fun. On Sunday, thousands enjoyed the all-campus picnic held outdoors on Cory Street Mall.

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