After last year’s addition of an extra week of programming, NSU’s Weeks of Welcome will incorporate more events to welcome students to, and back to, the university for the 2017-2018 academic year.
“Weeks of Welcome is an amazing opportunity for the whole entire NSU community … to see what we have to offer on campus,” said Sandra Philius, Graduate Assistant for Student Organizations for the Office of Campus Life and Student Engagement.
WOW is often seen among students as a rite of passage, particularly for freshman.
“I see it as a time that freshman can start knowing the NSU culture and community and really figure out where they want their voice to be and where they want their place here at NSU,” said Frances Mejia, president of SEA Board.
All NSU campuses hold WOW events, but this year will be the largest WOW on the Davie/Ft. Lauderdale campus, with around 40 individual events put on by multiple organizations and offices over the two-week span. Philius said she hopes to draw even more student interest with additional involvement from other offices and student organizations.
“We’re getting more student organizations involved — we have about four organizations that are holding their own events,” said Philius. “We have events ranging from convocation to karaoke nights to a water balloon battle to open expressions. We have a variety of different events that will bring out a larger crowd.”
Some events include the “Splashdown Water Balloon Battle” in the Library Quad on Aug. 24 at 4 p.m., Karaoke Night on Aug. 31 at 8 p.m. in the Flight Deck as well as the signature Labor Day Pool Party on Sep. 4 at 12 p.m.
One major change to this year’s WOW is the sponsorship of the signature Water Works event, which is now being shared between SEA Board and the Undergraduate Student Government Association (SGA).
“Now Water Works will have its own logo — something that it can go by from year to year to year since it’s now an SEA Board event. It’s still going be on the library quad but since there’s construction in the area it is going to be smaller,” said Kristen Bingham, Traditions Chair for SEA Board.
Bingham said that she doesn’t think the smaller area will pose a problem for the event and may even encourage students to interact with one another earlier in the event.
Bingham, Mejia and Philius all said that they encourage students to participate in the Weeks of Welcome.
“It’s just an amazing time to live in the moment, be a Shark and leave your mark here,” said Philius.
For more information on WOW events on the main and regional campuses, go to: nova.edu/wow/index.html
Key:
Photos: Printed with permission from F. Mejia.
Caption 1: Even President Hanbury makes an appearance at Sharkapalooza.
Caption 2: A key component of Sharkapalooza is live performances by students.
Caption 3: New programs, such as last year’s debut of Fin’s Football, are also present at Sharkapalooza.
Caption 4: Sharkapalooza is a fun experience for students to become familiar with different organizations at NSU.
