Black Student Union will host its annual Black Lives Summit to welcome incoming first-year and transfer students from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday at the Center for Undergraduate Education.

BSU President Makayia Thompson said Black Lives Summit will showcase black identity and academic groups, as well as black Greek organizations on campus. The event is open to the public, and students can RSVP online.

The start of the event will introduce the BSU cabinet, as well as black faculty and staff members on campus. Students will then break into workshops, which are hosted by Black Men Making A Difference, Black Women’s Caucus, and Queer Intersections Association.

Organizations such as the Women*s Center will have tabling areas in the CUE atrium, Thompson said, and there will be a black student panel for attendees to voice questions or concerns.

Thompson said the goal of the event is to pique students’ interest and encourage them to attend general meetings. She said she hopes it will help increase member retention, which fluctuates throughout the year.

“It’s one thing to email people and to text people, but it’s another thing to have them show up,” she said.

Student life usually starts to get hectic during midterms, Thompson said, which is when a lot of organizations would try to accommodate students by hosting de-stress meetings.

“That’s a big part of Black Lives Summit — to show the students that we’re not just here to have fun, but we’re here to do work too,” she said.

Thompson, who is also a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., said she got more involved with her community by attending Black Lives Summit. She attended the event in her freshman year, which led her to join Black Women’s Caucus and other organizations.

BSU vice president Sparkle Watts said some incoming students may feel alone or scared because they are away from home. Black Lives Summit is an opportunity for students to see what is offered in the black community, she said.

Thompson said there will be a back-to-school barbecue after the event at McGee Park.