Students attend a January 2023 Winter Welcome Week event called the Science of Sugar and Snow. Photo by Angela Foster.
Welcome to the first week of the semester.
Often referred to as “the fun week” by college students, the first week of school is usually the time to catch up with friends after winter break while easing into classes.
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga likes to aid in the fun atmosphere with a week’s worth of events to give students a warm winter welcome beginning Monday, Jan. 8.
To Kidron Bullock, coordinator for student engagement at UTC and organizer of this year’s Winter Welcome Week, fun is what it’s all about.
“That first week should be really exciting,” Bullock said. “Like, ‘We’re back on campus. Let’s do this and this and this’ instead of ‘Alright, classes are starting. See you in May.’”
Winter Welcome Week, he said, offers something for everyone with plenty of additional activities, sporting events, and club gatherings that may be found on the Winter Welcome calendar.
This is Bullock’s fourth opening-week celebration since he joined Student and Family Engagement in 2022 and the first one he is leading. In past Welcome Weeks, he noticed how participating in the activities became part of the Mocs experience for students.
“Being a part of campus is more than just the classes you attend. Part of the experience is what you do in between,” he said.
Activities taking place during the week include:
- Despite the winter chill, the indoor Soundwaves Pool Party returns as one of the Welcome Week signature events on Monday, Jan. 8, at the Aquatic and Recreation Center, sponsored by Campus Recreation.
- Veteran and Military Affairs is sponsoring the first-ever Veteran and Dependent Family Game Night on Tuesday, Jan. 9, in the University Center Game Room.
- The second annual Cozy Carnival, taking place Wednesday, Jan. 10, at Lupton Hall, features food, games and live embroidered bandanas. The carnival is sponsored by the Office of Multicultural Affairs, Center for Women and Gender Equity, Prism Center, and Center for Global Education.
- The Student Organization Fair on Thursday, Jan. 11, in the University Center Tennessee Room will allow visitors to check out some of UTC’s clubs and organizations.
The January Winter Welcome Org Fair brought students to the University Center to learn about campus organizations.
Bullock said Winter Welcome provides students with opportunities to learn about the many facets and people of campus, especially for newcomers.
“There’s a lot of different offices that students may not know exist on campus,” he said. “Here’s a chance to really see the different offices that we provide on campus and get plugged in to make those initial connections.”
Other signature events include:
- Monday, Jan. 8: Welcome Tables at University Center and Lupton Hall lobbies
- Tuesday, Jan. 9: International Tea Time at Lupton Hall, sponsored by Center for Global Education
- Wednesday, Jan. 10: Donut Drop-In in the Disability Resource Center Lounge (University Center Room 352)
- Wednesday, Jan. 10: Women’s Basketball vs. Mercer at McKenzie Arena, sponsored by Athletics
- Thursday, Jan. 11: Men’s Basketball vs. VMI at McKenzie Arena, sponsored by Athletics
- Friday, Jan. 12: Acrylics and Apps at UC Chattanooga Room, sponsored by Housing and Residence Life
“It’s definitely geared towards our returning students, but Winter Welcome is different because we focus on different populations,” Bullock said. “We have international students, graduate students, transfer students and nontraditional students, so we try to partner with different offices that serve those populations.”
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2023 Winter Welcome International Tea Time at Lupton Hall.