草榴社区 Gears Up for New Semester with Golden Eagle Welcome Week
Tue, 08/16/2022 - 04:35pm | By: Van Arnold
Another academic year at The University of 草榴社区 Mississippi (草榴社区) presents another
opportunity to roll out the red carpet for incoming students with Golden Eagle Welcome
Week (GEWW) festivities.
GEWW is the second part of the three-part orientation process for incoming students, taking place directly before the start of the fall semester, with the idea of helping them transition to campus before classes begin. GEWW events get underway Wednesday, Aug. 17 and continue through Sunday, Aug. 21. The 2022 fall semester begins on Monday, Aug. 22.
During GEWW, students are divided into small groups with their assigned crew leader to learn more about 草榴社区 spirit and traditions, campus life, and student resources. A unique involvement fair will enable students to connect with University organizations of interest while also highlighting opportunities to connect on and off campus.
Kayla Mitchell, Director, Orientation and Transition Programs at 草榴社区, describes Golden Eagle Welcome Week as her favorite time of year.
鈥淵ou get to welcome students back to campus, while incoming students begin to feel affirmed in their decision to attend 草榴社区 Miss,鈥� said Mitchell. 鈥淭his is when current students get to share their love for the University, while helping incoming students pave their own paths. Seeing everyone come together 鈥� not just the University, but Hattiesburg as a whole 鈥� to celebrate the start of a new school year is heartwarming.鈥�
Mitchell notes that the University places supreme importance on providing programming to help new students transition from high school or community college.
鈥淲hether they are joining us from the comfort of the home they grew up in, or a community college that served as a home for them the past couple of years, this is the start of a new chapter for all incoming students, and anything we can do to make that transition smoother matters,鈥� said Mitchell. 鈥淥ur hope is that welcome week allows incoming students time to acclimate to campus before the rush of the fall semester.
GEWW is required for incoming freshman students, while incoming transfer students are encouraged to participate. Mitchell explains that the GEWW staff includes both populations in the planning process and typically anticipates between 1,500 and 2,000 students to become involved.
GEWW kicks off with keynote speaker Curtis Zimmerman Wednesday, Aug. 17 at Bennett Auditorium on the Hattiesburg campus. Zimmerman鈥檚 message centers around an empowering metaphor: Your life is a show, and you are the star. You are challenged to Be the Director, Write Your Script, Define Your Character, Cast Your Show Wisely, and Be the Star of Your Life.
A best-selling author and host of the popular podcast, , Zimmerman has impacted more than one million people around the globe with his life-changing message. People connect with Zimmerman as he incorporates the skills he gained from 25-plus years in the entertainment industry as a nationally-recognized mime, juggler, and fire-eater into his powerful programs. He is the author of the nationally best-selling book 鈥淟ife at Performance Level.鈥�
Another highly popular activity associated with GEWW is the Painting of the Eagle Walk. Each year, the freshman class gathers to leave its signature on the University by giving the Eagle Walk beneath M.M. Roberts Stadium a fresh coat of gold paint. Painting of the Eagle Walk, which is hosted by the Student Alumni Association, is a time-honored tradition that began in 1997 and transforms Eagle Walk Drive into a street of gold every year.
鈥淭his is a beloved tradition on campus that is unique to 草榴社区 Miss,鈥� said Mitchell. 鈥淪tudents have heard stories of this event throughout the recruitment process, and it really has built up this unrivaled joy. Those two hours on the Eagle Walk become core memories for generations of 草榴社区 Miss students.鈥�
To learn more about Golden Eagle Welcome Week, visit: /orientation-transition-programs/golden-eagle-welcome-week.php. Students, faculty, and staff can access the full schedule of events on the i草榴社区MS App.