As the spring 2023 semester kicked off, the Southern Utah University Student Association aimed to bring students in a big way. From Monday, Jan. 9, to Saturday, Jan. 14, every day had at least one scheduled event.
“The purpose of Welcome Back Week is to welcome students back with a bang and get the semester rolling,” said Hunter Bosgieter, SUUSA’s vice president of programming.
On Monday, SUUSA held a scavenger hunt in the Sharwan Smith Student Center Ballroom. The event allowed new students to learn their way around the building while making friends and competing for prizes.
In the Student Center Living Room on Tuesday morning, an event called “New Semester, New You” took place. There, SUUSA provided snacks and new school supplies to help students get started on their academic goals for the semester.
Wednesday had two events, both to calm students down from the stress of starting a new semester. In the morning, the Student Involvement and Leadership center handed out free donuts. That night, students got to experience some nostalgia at the Elementary Recess event in the Living Room, where they showed cartoons and provided typical elementary school recess games like tetherball, hopscotch, four square and others.
The Ballroom was filled with 40-60 of SUU’s clubs on Thursday evening. Students were encouraged to talk to club members to find somewhere they belong, and anyone who talked to at least 10 clubs earned free food. It let students learn how they can be more involved in student life on campus.
The highlight of the week was SUUSA’s Neon Dance in the Ballroom on Friday night. Attendees were encouraged to wear bright colors as they met new people and danced to great music.
The week ended with Cedar Fun Day at the Cedar Fun Center. On Saturday morning, anyone with a student ID could have free access to miniature golf, laser tag, arcade games, and movies.
“There were some events where the sole purpose was having fun and letting students build connections,” Bosgieter said.
The week was jam-packed, but campus events are far from over. See the SUU calendar for more.
Story and photos by: Anden Garfield
life@suunews.net
