Welcome Week

The college campus is buzzing with activity this week as the students return from their holiday break. We have a new program called Welcome Week in place this year to help greet and orient the new students. New students were placed in small groups with experienced student leaders who helped them find their way around the campus, learn procedures, and meet new people. The groups also were assigned campus projects to work together on and help develop relationships.

The Welcome Week student leaders planned a variety of activities. Every evening there was something special for students to do, including devotionals, movie nights, and Bible study. Two afternoons were devoted to sports. Drawings for prizes turned out to be the favorite activity of the week. I had a collection of items that had been donated, including backpacks, boxed pen sets, visors, and folders, plus a box of leftover cassettes from our recording project a couple of years ago. We held drawings for these prizes after chapel each day and after each evening activity. So far the feedback on Welcome Week from new and returning students has been overwhelmingly positive, with everyone agreeing that the 2008 school year is off to a good start!