Welcome Week activities to kick off fall semester

It’s that time of year again. On Wednesday, UofL will welcome nearly 2,700 freshmen with more than 50 events and activities as part of Welcome Week. The week-long activities, scheduled Aug. 16-20, are geared toward helping first-year students become familiar with the campus community.

"Welcome Week is an important traditional program that promotes new student engagement and success by providing students with opportunities to develop fundamental skills, knowledge and personal connections essential for their transition to UofL," said Loni Yost, director of First Year Initiatives. 

Some noteworthy events include:

Aug. 16

• Move-In Day, 8 a.m.-3:00 p.m., Move-In Day will feature volunteers, complimentary drinks and pizza for everyone courtesy of Papa John’s.
• Cardinal Kick Off, 3:30-5:30 p.m., Library Lawn West, UofL’s Interim President Dr. Greg Postel helps kick off Welcome Week. Enjoy free food, photo booth, UofL swag, music and a chance to win a new bike.
• Bid Day, 3-10 p.m., Students receive an invitation to the sorority they were matched with through the mutual selection process.

Aug. 17

• SOUL: Student Outreach Uniting Louisville, 8 a.m. check-in; 8:30 a.m.– 12:30 p.m. service projects, Student Activities Center, includes a free t-shirt, interactive group discussion and group service project featuring Mayor Fischer with the keynote.
• Kick Back in the Stacks, 6-8:30 p.m., Ekstrom Library, The library features a mix of dancers, magicians and other novelty performers; bingo; interactive service project; a photo station; scavenger hunt; local food samples, etc. Learn about the Library and other important campus resources.

Aug. 18

• Alumni Association Picnic, 6-7:30 p.m., Humanities Quad, Enjoy food, music, giveaways, and fun. Hear from SOAR (Student Organization for Alumni Relations) on how to bridge the gap between current students and alumni.
• Night at the Museum: What’s Your Speed?, 7-10 p.m., Speed Art Museum, Enjoy a night of tours, snacks, games, art-making and adventure as students explore the galleries and get to know the Speed Art Museum.

Aug.19

• CARDnival, 8-10:45 p.m., SAC West Plaza, Join the Student Activities Board for a night out at the CARDnival complete with arcade and casino games, featuring free food, music, inflatables, and prizes.

Aug. 20

• 25th Annual Icebreaker and All Campus Cookout, 6-8 p.m., Red Barn/West Plaza, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and National Pan-Hellenic Council’s (NPHC) fraternities and sororities welcome all new students to the campus.

The full schedule of events is available online.