Ohio University prepares to welcome new, returning students

Ohio University’s Welcome Week will run from Aug. 19 until Aug. 28 and will feature a number of events to help students acclimate themselves to campus, get connected, and get ready for the semester and year to come. 

Associate Director of Student Activities Josh Gruenke said the Welcome Week events will vary and include things such as concerts and comedy. Most of the events will take place on the South Green, but there will be events happening all over campus, and in the community. A listing of events can be found on the Welcome Week webpage, but events are still being updated and added.  

“Welcome Week provides students with so many opportunities to get to know their classmates and find homes in organizations,” Gruenke said. “They are able to meet other Bobcats that share their interests and passions.”

On Saturday, Aug. 21 each college will host welcome sessions to provide an opportunity for students to meet others in their colleges, connect with faculty and staff, and learn more about their academic home. These sessions are required for all new first-year and transfer students. Times and locations will be added to the Calendar of University Events as they are confirmed.

“After this particularly challenging year, we look forward to the energy and excitement our new students bring to campus when they arrive and move in,” said Director of Undergraduate Orientation Programs Vincent Prior. “We also look forward to welcoming students who were not able to be on campus last year and may be experiencing Welcome Week for the first time. A full slate of academic and social events will help students get prepared and excited for the coming academic year.”

Other notable Welcome Week events include the President’s First Year Convocation and the Involvement Fair. The Convocation will take place at 3 p.m. on Aug. 22 at Peden Stadium and is mandatory for new first-year and transfer students. President Hugh Sherman and other University leaders will welcome the incoming class. The class will then pose for a photo in the stadium. 

The Involvement Fair will take place on the College Green on Aug. 22. Assistant Dean of Students for Campus Involvement Char Kopchick said it allows students to interact with over 260 student organizations. The organizations will set up tables on the College Green, and representatives will be there to interact with students. The Involvement Fair is a way for both new and returning students to get connected with organizations and make connections that could last a lifetime. 

“We want all of our students to feel like Ohio University is becoming their home and that they have a support system with people who have similar interests,” Kopchick said. “There is an organization for everybody who comes to Ohio University.”

Kopchick said the Involvement Fair will open at 3 p.m. to provide all upper-class students the opportunity to explore organizations that may interest them. After the President’s Convocation and class photo, the Marching 110 will lead first-year students up Richland Avenue to the College Green for the Involvement Fair. Students can also explore student organizations via Bobcat Connect.

Gruenke said students who have built social networks are more likely to persist to graduation. Welcome Week also introduces students to campus resources that could help them out.

For more information about Welcome Week 2021, including an Arrival Guide, Move-In Schedule, and Event Schedule, visit the Welcome Week webpage.