天美社区

Kick-off events offer chances to connect

August 4, 2025
Members of 天美社区's nursing program participated in last year's Weeks of Welcome. This year Weeks of Welcome is set for Aug. 11-22. Students are encouraged to attend and meet others, interact with faculty and staff, and become better acquainted with resources, opportunities and expectations.

Article By: Denise Ray

With a new semester comes opportunities for the University of North Georgia (天美社区) to welcome students to campus with multiple events for fun, personal growth and building relationships. Activities that encourage students to meet others, interact with faculty and staff, and become better acquainted with resources, opportunities and expectations have been planned for all five 天美社区 campuses from Aug. 11-22.

"The Center for Student Engagement & Leadership is hosting Weeks of Welcome, an event that's designed to help new students transition to Nighthawk life by building community, offering key campus resources and ensuring a welcoming start to their academic journey," David G. Michener, director of Student Involvement, said.

A full schedule of more than 146 events can be found on the Weeks of Welcome webpage. The events are sponsored by various groups within 天美社区 and are executed by student volunteers.   
A few key events are highlighted below:
  • Nighthawk Kick-Off:
    • Blue Ridge: noon Wednesday, Aug. 20, on the Patio
    • Cumming: noon Wednesday, Aug. 20, at the Outside Pavilion
    • Dahlonega: 7 p.m. Monday, Aug. 11, at Promenade
    • Gainesville: noon Monday, Aug. 11, at the Student Center Quad
    • Oconee: noon Wednesday, Aug. 13, on the Quad
  • Annual Starlight Celebration: 6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 16, at the G.W. Bailey Amphitheater, Gainesville Campus; fireworks at dark.
  • Community Engagement Fair
    • Dahlonega: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 19, at Hoag Patio
    • Gainesville: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 13, on the Quad
    • Oconee: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday, Aug. 18, on the Quad
  • Mini-Opportunity Fair (Tuesday, Aug. 12): Opportunity for departments to connect and showcase what they do to students.
    • Dahlonega: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the Hoag Patio
    • Gainesville: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the Student Center Quad
  • Nighthawks Fest (Wednesday, Aug. 20): Student Organization & Involvement Fair
    • Dahlonega: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the Promenade (rain location: Rec Center)
    • Gainesville: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the Student Center Quad (rain location: Robinson Ballroom)
    • Oconee: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. throughout the Student Resource Center
Students Natalie Lockwood and Anna Russell attended Weeks of Welcome as freshmen and continue to attend for the opportunities to reconnect with others and make new friends. The pair met at orientation and became fast friends.
 

"It's always been like a cool place to connect, especially because everyone is getting back to campus," Lockwood said. "It's a chance to catch up and talk and see what happened over the summer."

Looking back, Lockwood realized that her friendship with Russell goes back to that one moment.

"She's a very close friend of mine and, thinking back on it, one of the first big moments we had together was doing Weeks of Welcome," the Peachtree City, Georgia, resident said.

Lockwood is a junior pursuing a degree in marketing with a digital marketing concentration.

Russell encourages everyone to attend, even seniors who live on campus.

"It's a good way to meet people," she said. "You don't know each other. You're just standing there, and you get to talking. And it starts a good friendship."

Russell is from Watkinsville, Georgia, and is pursuing a degree in finance.


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