Campus events welcome students

Take a break from all the pre-college stress and check out some of the events coming up this week. The start of the year activities are prime time for free food and making new friends.

“I think one of the biggest things is there are so many students who are looking for the same thing,” said Rudy Taylor, program manager at the Office of Student Involvement. “They’re looking to meet new people.”

Taylor coordinates the First Weeks overall schedule and has a part in planning some of the major events with the First Weeks committee including the commuter welcome reception and the post-convocation barbecue.

Depending on the event, Taylor said there will be between 100 to 1,000 people in attendance.

The commuter welcome reception will take place on Friday, Aug. 22 from 2-4 p.m. followed by freshman convocation from 4-5 p.m.

There will be a barbecue following convocation in Lot 5 next to Savage Arena from 5-7 p.m.

After the barbecue, there will be a free open ropes course from 7-9 p.m. on the track level of the student recreation center. According to the First Weeks events schedule, all students who wish to attempt the open ropes course must wear tennis shoes or hiking boots.

The Campus Activities and Programming (CAP) foam party will also begin at 7 p.m. and will last until 10 p.m. in the Flatlands. CAP will give away free T-shirts and sunglasses as well as a DJ and a light show.

“From a student standpoint I’d say the most exciting thing about going to these events is meeting new people,” said Andrew Kurtz, president of CAP. Kurtz said he encourages students to not only check out the CAP events but all of the other events as well.

“I highly recommend the SigEp [Sigma Epsilon] Slip-n-Slide,” he said.

The SigEp Slip-n-Slide will happen on Saturday at 11 a.m. on Parks Hill behind Parks Tower.

CAP will also be hosting a Dayglow-inspired paint party on Saturday from 7:30-11 p.m. at the Flatlands and a barbecue on Sunday from 12-2 p.m. in Centennial Mall.

At the barbecue, Kurtz said there will be music on the Student Union front steps and a dunk tank. Kurtz said they will hopefully get professors and administrators to agree to sit in the dunk tank.

Although these events are aimed toward freshmen, Kurtz said all students on campus are welcome to attend.

CAP will host more events throughout the school year including a Toledo American Gladiator Competition.

“We’ve got a really good kick-off to the year this year,” Taylor said. “Go out there and have a good time.”

A detailed list of all upcoming events can be found at www.utoledo.edu/studentaffairs/osi.