Welcome Back Day offers food, fun, and fellowship

    Visit Welcome Back Day from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. today in the Quad to snack on free food, try your luck at exciting games and socialize with fellow students.

    The event will feature approximately 40 booths set up throughout the quad manned by various student organizations, university departments and local community agencies.  These groups will offer information on what services they provide at Nicholls as well as offer activities to engage students.  The Student Programming Association will provide water, lemonade and soft drinks.  Jambalaya, burgers, and other snacks will be available also, free of charge. 

    Guest speakers from administration and athletics will also give a preview of upcoming fall and spring sports.  The cheerleaders and band will assist the pep rally and the choir will sing the alma mater.

    Welcome Back Day is being organized by the Welcome Back Day Committee which consists of students that are involved in various organizations and clubs on campus.  These people were selected by the Vice President of Student Affairs, Dr. Eugene Dial.

    The committee chose the theme “Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow,” for the event in order to focus on how the university has changed over the years committee co-chair and campus recreation director Mike Matherne said.

    “We should appreciate what we have now, with all of the new improvements to residence halls, roads, academic programs, and the upcoming recreation center.”

    Committee co-chair and union snack bar coordinator Sabrina Laurent said all the different people in the various organizations have worked hard and put a lot of effort into preparing the event.

    “It is collaborative effort,” Laurent said.

    Matherne and Laurent both agreed that the event will give students several opportunities. 

      “It is threefold,” said Matherne. “No. 1, the event extends a warm welcome to students at our university, whether it is to welcome back or welcome for the first time.  No. 2; it is an opportunity for all students to explore their campus and allow student organizations to interact with them.  No. 3; it helps students feel like they are not just a number on campus.”

      In case of a rainout, Laurent said Welcome Back Day will be moved to the ballroom of the Student Union.