Week of Welcome began Saturday, kicking off a variety of in-person and virtual events for new and returning students at the Pullman campus.

This year’s Week of Welcome features seven anchor events spread throughout the week, starting Wednesday. Other departments and organizations will also hold their own events.

The first anchor event is the Student Resource Fair, which will run 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday at Glenn Terrell Mall. Approximately 120 organizations will be tabling at the fair, said Victor “Vic” Rodríguez, New Student Programs assistant director.

Of the tables, there will be registered student organizations, academic departments, local businesses and community organizations, he said.

The fair is limited to 120 organizations as a precaution, Rodríguez said. If wildfire smoke or inclement weather require the fair to be indoors, then it will be moved to the Compton Union Building Senior Ballroom.

Departments like Student Involvement, Student Entertainment Board and others which focus on the WSU experience will also be tabling at the fair, said Brian Shuffield, Student Involvement executive director.

The Coug Presence website and app are great ways to stay up to date on events this year, Shuffield said. Organizations and events scheduled throughout the year are plugged into the Coug Presence system, and students can filter through to find the groups and activities they are interested in.

New students are invited to the pep rally at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at Martin Stadium. Students will have the opportunity to learn the fight song and other game cheers, meet some of WSU’s athletes and take the New Coug group photo, according to the Coug Presence website.

While all students are welcome to attend this event, it is targeted toward new students, Rodríguez said.

Student Entertainment board is also hosting an Up All Night carnival from 8 p.m. to midnight Wednesday, Shuffield said. The event will sprawl throughout the entire CUB.

“There will be a lot of activities for students to do to get out and have some fun,” Shuffield said.

For students interested in learning more about their college, the Academic College Kickoffs are 2-4 p.m. Thursday, according to Coug Presence. Students will have the chance to meet faculty and learn about opportunities to get involved with their college. Many colleges are also providing treats, games and prizes.

University Convocation will be held 10-11 a.m. Friday at Beasley Coliseum, Rodríguez said. Like the pep rally, Convocation is targeted toward new students, including second-year sophomores who were not on campus last year.

Convocation will feature student and staff speeches. Keynote speakers will include Melissa Parkhurst, associate professor of ethnomusicology, and Isabelle Busch, a second-year biological sciences major, according to the convocation website.

First-year and second-year students living on campus can take part in the New Coug Barbecue at all on-campus dining centers. The barbecue will run from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Friday. Food options will include a selection of barbecue and picnic sides, as well as plant-based options, according to Coug Presence.

Second-year students will also have their own event this year. The second-year social and class photo will be held 6-8 p.m. Friday at the Valley Road Playfields. Students can socialize, enjoy breakfast for dinner, play lawn games and listen to music.

The CougGlow Dance Party from 8 p.m. to midnight on Friday will conclude the anchor events for this year’s Week of Welcome, but will not be the last of all events for the week. The party will be hosted in the senior ballroom at the CUB and feature commercial-grade UV lights to make Cougs glow, Rodríguez said.

“We’re going to turn the senior ballroom into just a dance club with UV lighting all over the place, so even your teeth are going to glow,” he said. 

Highlighter markers will also be provided, and students can wear white shirts to draw on. To learn more about all the events Week of Welcome has to offer, check out the Coug Presence website or download the Coug Presence app on your smartphone.