Welcome Week Greets New Baylor Students Aug. 21-24

by Brent J. Atema, Student Newswriter

Baylor University will hold its annual Welcome Week activities Aug. 21-24 for Baylor freshmen and transfer students. The four-day event will include concerts, seminars to introduce students to Baylor, and a group community service project. Classes will begin Monday, Aug. 25.
Baylor's Welcome Week tradition began in 1974 and emphasizes the intellectual, physical, social and spiritual aspects of college life. The mission of the week is to teach students how to be a balanced person in a Christian atmosphere, familiarize students with Baylor and its traditions, and to welcome each new student into the Baylor community.
"We're excited about this year and really looking forward to helping the students transition into Baylor," said Drew Pittman, a Baylor senior and program co-chair.
Students will begin moving into residence halls at 7 a.m. Thursday. Welcome Week events will begin with the president's picnic at 5:30 p.m. at Burleson Quadrangle. Thursday's events will conclude with Wal-Mart Madness, a midnight concert featuring Michael Doss and comedian Clinton Pickens in the parking lot of the Bellmead location. At 10:30 p.m., buses will begin taking students from Fifth Street to the concert.
On Friday, new students will meet at 10:30 a.m. at the Ferrell Center for a rally and small group sessions. Other events will include lunch and a church mixer at the McLane Student Life Center, small group free time and a night volleyball game.
Saturday's schedule will begin at 8:30 a.m. with "FirStep," a group community service project that helps new students get involved in the Waco community. A lunch celebration will begin at 12:30 p.m., followed by a mixer for out-of-state students. A concert featuring musical acts Bleach, Christin Cook and Benjamin Gate will begin at 8:30 p.m. at the Ferrell Center.
On Sunday, students can attend local church services and a University Ministries mixer at 3 p.m. at the Baptist Student Ministries building. Welcome Week will conclude with a group worship service at 7:30 p.m. at the Ferrell Center, followed by a candlelight celebration at 8:45 p.m. at the Turner Riverfront Athletic Complex.
For more information, call the Welcome Week office at 710-3638 or visit their web site at www.baylor.edu/welcome_week.