Baylor Set To Welcome New Students Aug. 16-20
Baylor University's traditional "Welcome Week" gets under way Wednesday, Aug. 16, with several orientation activities for Baylor freshmen, transfer students and their parents, ranging from picnics and pep rallies to academic seminars and a mass community service project.
The annual event, which began at Baylor in 1974 and emphasizes the intellectual, social, physical and spiritual aspects of college life, will run through Sunday, Aug. 20. Fall classes begin Monday, Aug. 21.
A freshman class of more than 2,800 students will begin moving into residence halls at 7 a.m. Wednesday with the help of Welcome Week staff members, Baylor faculty members and administrators, including President Robert B. Sloan Jr.; Dr. Donald Schmeltekopf, vice president for academic affairs; Dr. Steve Moore, vice president for student life; and Marilyn Crone, vice president for human resources. Welcome Week activities officially begin Wednesday at 7 p.m. with the President's Picnic at Burleson Quadrangle. The movie, "The Sandlot," will be shown at 9:30 p.m. at the Baylor Ballpark.
Thursday, students will gather at 10 a.m. at the Ferrell Center for a pep rally during which freshmen will learn "That Good Ol' Baylor Line" and "Baylor Fight" in anticipation of the upcoming athletic season. After the pep rally, students will take part in mini-conferences, known as min-con groups, as well as academic seminars and an "Olympic Games 2000" event set for 3 p.m. at the intramural fields. Thursday's activities wrap up with a concert by Christian band "Nickel and Dime" at 9 p.m. at the Ferrell Center.
Friday begins with "Good Morning Baylor" at 10 a.m. at the Ferrell Center, followed by min-con sessions, academic seminars and mixers during the day, dinner with faculty at 6:30 p.m. and a dance at 9 p.m. at the Ferrell Center.
On Saturday, Baylor freshmen and transfer students will take part in First Step, a community service project sponsored by Baylor, the City of Waco, Keep Waco Beautiful and the Area Agency on Aging. Students will be painting houses and landscaping from 8 a.m. to noon in the Applegrove neighborhood, which is located north of Martin Luther King Boulevard in Waco. Lunch and a celebration of service will begin at noon at the SUB Bowl, followed by a meeting of the Baylor Line at 3 p.m. Other activities include a traditions rally at 5 p.m. at the Ferrell Center, a church mixer at 6:15 p.m. at the Gov. Bill and Vara Daniel Historic Village and a carnival at 8:30 p.m. at Minglewood Bowl next to the Baylor Bookstore.
On Sunday, there will be a sunrise service for Welcome Week participants at 7:45 a.m. at the SUB Bowl. Final min-con sessions and academic seminars will be held during the day. A final assembly will begin at 7:30 p.m. at the Ferrell Center, followed by a candlelight vigil at the Baylor marina.
For more information on Welcome Week activities, call the Welcome Week office at 710-3638 or visit the web site www.baylor.edu/~Welcome_Week/.