Welcome Weekend an Opportunity to Connect

First-time freshmen at Fairmont State University and Pierpont Community & Technical College have an opportunity to connect with mentors and unwind before classes start through Welcome Weekend, Aug. 22-24, three days of events sponsored by the Office of Student Affairs. Classes begin Monday, Aug. 25.

"Welcome Weekend is very important for students to have a chance to bond, relax and have fun before focusing on school," said Laurie Johnston, Director of Student Activities. "This year's activities are focused on freshmen who are living in our residence halls to help them become acclimated to campus life. The "cream of the crop" of our upperclassmen serve as Freshmen Counselors and Residence Assistants, and we want to connect these students with our freshmen as mentors."

Current students apply to be Freshmen Counselors and are selected through an interview process. Those who are selected attend a three-day camp at Jackson's Mill to receive training on the logistics of Welcome Weekend and participate in team building activities. For the first two weeks of classes (the week of Aug. 25 and the week of Sept. 1), they will wear a name badge so freshmen can easily recognize them and ask them for help when needed. Resident Assistants also are hired through a selective process by the Office of Residence Life. Resident Assistants develop leadership skills, serve as role models, promote positive relationships among residents and plan events for residents.

Students move into the residence halls beginning at 4:30 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 22. FSU athletic teams and Freshmen Counselors meet new students and their families at their vehicles and help them unload their luggage and find their check-in point. Parents will attend an orientation session at 7 p.m., and a general meeting is planned for 9 p.m. A movie will be shown outdoors on the lawn of the Falcon Center at 10:30 p.m.

The highlights of activities for Saturday, Aug. 23, include a welcome from Blair Montgomery, Pierpont C&TC President, and Kelley Bronson, Student Government President. Students will participate in a scavenger hunt and the Falcon Olympics. The weekend will end with a bang on Sunday evening "a concert featuring Flo Rida, Saving Jane and Derrick McKee.

"We're hoping the concert as part of Welcome Weekend will become a tradition," Johnston said.

For more information, call the Office of Student Affairs at (304) 367-4950.

A complete Welcome Weekend schedule follows:

Friday, Aug. 22
4:30 p.m. Move-In Residence Halls
7 p.m. Parent Orientation Falcon Center Gym 1
9 p.m. General Meeting Falcon Center Gym 1
10:30 p.m. Drive-In-Movie Falcon Center Lawn

Saturday, Aug. 23
10 a.m. Breakfast Dining Hall
11 a.m. Presidents' Welcome Falcon Center Gym 1
11:30 a.m. Playfair (Icebreaker) Falcon Center Gym 2
12:45 p.m. Lunch Dining Hall
2 p.m. Scavenger Hunt Football Field
5 p.m. Dinner Dining Hall
7 p.m. Falcon Olympics Falcon Center Gym 1 & 2

Sunday, Aug. 24
11 a.m. Brunch Dining Hall
Noon Blackboard Vista Training Falcon Center Gym 1
1 p.m. Monstertrak Ultimate Road Trip Falcon Center Gym 1
2 p.m. Closing Ceremony Falcon Center Gym 1
7 p.m. Concert Feaster Center