Week of Welcome (WOW) is how The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) celebrates new and returning students each fall. Faculty and staff can help students get their 2023-2024 year off to a start that’s really “Wow!” by volunteering for Residence Hall Move-In Days on Aug. 10-11.
Approximately 2,000 students will arrive on campus as part of Move-In Day. Volunteers’ time and efforts will directly impact the experience of these students. Those interested should fill out the online volunteer form. Each individual who wishes to volunteer must fill out a form even if they are part of a larger group that is volunteering. Volunteers will receive training materials and expectations digitally.
The WOW experience will continue on Aug. 11-19 when UAH academic colleges, departments, student service areas and student organizations host events and activities designed to help students figure out ways to fit in and stand out as a UAH Charger.
“The nine days that make up WOW are packed with social, educational and informational programs that let students interact with administrators, faculty, staff and other students,” says Nikki Goode, director of Student Life, which coordinates WOW. “They can make new connections, become acclimated with campus, refresh information from orientation, and receive a lot of Charger gear.”
WOW is planned around 19 Tradition Events that begin with Taste of Huntsville and Chargers After Dark on Aug. 11 and end on Aug. 19 with Service Saturday and Glow Rage Paint Party. In between are programs that address various student needs and interests, including:
- Civic engagement at This is Community on Aug 12,
- Physical fitness at Rock the Rec, also Aug. 12,
- More good food at Charger Blue BBQ on Aug. 13,
- Employment at Co-op Kick Off on Aug. 15 and Part-Time Job Fair on Aug. 17.
The biggest event – and the one required for all new students – happens on Aug. 13: Convocation features guest speaker Harlan Cohen, New York Times bestselling author of seven books, including “The Naked Roommate & 107 Other Issues You Might Run Into in College” and his latest, “WIN OR LEARN: The Naked Truth About Turning Every Rejection into Your Ultimate Success.” He’s also a nationally syndicated advice columnist who has visited more than 500 college campuses.
“Attendance varies by event,” Goode says, “but the programs known as Tradition Events are the most heavily attended, having an average of 1,000 students at each. Tradition Events occur annually and have taken place since Week of Welcome began at UAH in August 2011. They’re hosted by a variety of Student Affairs departments and sponsored student organizations.”
Visit the Week of Welcome webpage for more details, including a link to the full WOW events schedule for fall 2023.
