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Week of Welcome 2016 is a five-day opportunity for new, transfer and returning WSU students to make connections and find their place on campus before beginning the fall semester on August 22.

“There’s some highlights every day and a lot to look forward to,” Assistant Director of New Student Programs John Driscoll Nugent said.

The Week of Welcome festivities will kick off at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, August 17 with the New Student Pep Assembly in Martin Stadium. The pep rally will be led by WSU Athletics and the Cougar Marching Band and will teach new students game day traditions and chants.

WSU Student Involvement and the Student Entertainment Board have partnered to present Project ZZU in the CUB on Saturday, August 20. Project ZZU is WSU’s late night dance club with DJ’s, food, drinks and games going on throughout the night.

“Student Involvement is trying a new club atmosphere in the CUB with Project ZZU that I think is going to be really cool. With the help of the SEB, this will be the Welcome Back dance party of the year,” Driscoll Nugent said.

Another new event brought to this year’s Week of Welcome schedule is the Student Recreation Center’s Dive-In Movie.

The Dive-In Movie gives students the opportunity to watch a movie from the comfort of inflatable rafts and floats in the Student Recreation Center’s pool and hot tub at 9:30 p.m. Thursday, August 18.

“The Student Recreation Center did a Dive-In movie at some point last year and found it was really successful and had fun with it, so we added it to the Week of Welcome schedule,” Driscoll Nugent said.

In addition to new events during Week of Welcome, Driscoll Nugent and WSU New Student Programs are initiating a small group program during the week to help new students navigate the festivities.

“There’s a lot of people and a lot of stuff going on, and if you’re introverted, it can be kind of intimidating,” Driscoll Nugent said. “We’re really trying to get new students connected with older, upper-division students to answer questions and ease that transition.”

Many popular events will be returning to this year’s Week of Welcome as well, such as Light Up the Night, Up All Night and the All Campus Picnic.

For the fourth year in a row, New Student Programs have organized a Transfer Welcome Social for Sunday, August 21, giving transfer students the opportunity to connect with other transfers and be involved in activities exclusive to transfer students.

“It’s an opportunity for transfer students to get connected and start finding their place on campus, regardless of whether they’re living off campus or in an upper-division residence hall,” Driscoll Nugent said.

This year’s Week of Welcome is all about making connections and having fun on campus.

“I encourage students to push themselves out of their comfort zones and attend events and get involved, introduce themselves to their neighbors and really try to make the most out of the different opportunities,” Driscoll Nugent said.