Anderson University is ready to welcome new students into its growing community. Of course, this calls for a celebration!
Welcome Week is an exciting time for new students to step into life as a college student while making new friends.
Welcome Week, August 19-27, is filled with fun activities of all kinds. At its heart, Welcome Week is all about new students getting to know their AU community.
A complete detailed schedule can be found online here.
Highlights
Welcome Week starts August 19 with resident students moving into their residence halls on campus. Commuting students will also check in that day to find out all they need to know about starting at AU. And on Saturday, August 27, Welcome Week ends with a bang—literally—as spectacular fireworks light up the night at the soccer stadium.
And of course, there’s a lot in between.
A huge highlight of Welcome Week is the Matriculation and Archway Walk, a moving time of worship and celebration of a great AU tradition, marking the start of the unforgettable journey that lies ahead.
On Saturday, August 20, freshmen will get to know their AU 101 classmates as part of an Alpha Group or TAG (Transfer Alpha Group) Group at Merritt Porch. Lasting friendships are formed in these groups, so sticking together is a great way to start the journey as an AU student. As an Apple Distinguished School, Anderson University gives all of its incoming freshmen a new iPad + Apple Pencil—powerful tools to help each student along the way. That’s also the day Anderson University welcomes returning students.
Welcome Week is filled with opportunities to play a favorite game or two (or more) and to learn some new ones, whether it’s spikeball, cornhole, ultimate frisbee, soccer or volleyball. It’s also a chance to get together with new friends and picnic on the historic lawn, listen to live music, enjoy some western fun at West Fest or the food, fun and festivities of Beach Bash.
A big new addition to Welcome Week this year is Block Party. AU Student Activities is organizing the event complete with food trucks and live music from Chris Renzema. According to Cooper Reynolds, AU Student Government Association (SGA) president, Block Party “is the perfect addition to Welcome Week to add even more excitement to an already amazing week.”
Welcome Week is also a great time for students to learn their way around the Anderson University campus, to discover all of the dining options and great food, as well as great places to unwind with classmates—on the lawn, in the quad, or while enjoying a favorite coffee beverage. It’s also a time to discover Anderson’s vibrant downtown scene, exploring shops, restaurants and seeing firsthand why Anderson is nicknamed The Electric City.
What’s more, Welcome Week is a time to experience how the Four Pillars of Anderson University come together to form a unique overall student experience: Great Academics, Great Faith, Great Hospitality and Great Purpose. New students discover what Anderson’s learning experience is all about, getting to know professors and others who will walk alongside each student throughout their academic and spiritual journey.
Katelyn Bass, a rising junior media communication major from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, remembers what Welcome Week meant to her as an incoming freshman, and is excited about her role coordinating marketing of these events for AU Student Activities. She’s been busy posting on Instagram and TikTok, as well as in AUnited.
“It was a really formative experience for me, stepping into AU, especially making the transition from really far away from home. Those were the events that filled my weeknights and my weekends when I didn’t have all my friends yet or my family, so now getting to communicate that to incoming students and to the student body as they go through AU is really special because I just feel really passionate about it. It’s what made AU home for me,” Bass said.
Anderson University encourages students to log into AUnited with their AU credentials. This website will have the most up-to-date information on all events around campus as well as a full list of AU clubs and organizations. Full Welcome Week details can be found at andersonuniversity.edu/campus-life/welcome-week.
Scenes from last year’s Welcome Week
The Wall Street Journal recognized Anderson University as No. 25 among all universities in the nation for best student engagement, and U.S. News and World Report ranks Anderson University No. 64 for best first-year experiences in the United States.