Celebration to kick off new academic year

July 27, 2012

The Hill will be humming with activity next week as students begin returning to campus. The final orientation will be Thursday and Friday, followed by student move-in on Saturday.

A new celebration Saturday night will mark the official beginning of First Week and the 2012-13 year. The inaugural Spirit and Traditions Kickoff at 6 p.m. on the Residential Quad will give the college community a chance to share music, food, prizes and fun.

"This will be a great way for all of us – students, faculty and staff – to get together and start the year off right," said Dr. Marc Shook, Associate Provost and Dean of Student Engagement. "It also will be a chance to learn about the traditions that make LaGrange College such a special place."

Free festival-style food and beverages will be served, and the Quad will be filled with games and special events. The Panther will be available for photos with his fans.

"We'll have seven inflatable games, including bazooka ball, Velcro sticky wall, bungee basketball, quarterback blitz, penalty kick shootout, chip shot and speed pitch, with student leaders and athletes leading the games and issuing prizes," Dr. Shook said. "We will have a number of prizes to be given away at the event – sports memorabilia, T-shirts, etc. This event is a celebration for the entire college community, and everything, from the food to the games to the laughter, is meant to be shared. Whether you are an incoming student, a senior or the child of a faculty or staff member, there is something here for you."

Perhaps the most noticeable sight in LaGrange that evening, a 30-foot drive-in movie screen will be pumping music and videos throughout the evening to keep the energy up. This screen also promises a fun way to wind down when the sun sets and the activities draw to a close.

"Once it gets dark, we will be showing 'The Hunger Games,' " Dr. Shook said. "It's the first day it will be available on DVD, and we're excited that we can offer it to our campus family."



Free popcorn will be provided, and guests are encouraged to bring their own blankets and chairs.

Following the festive atmosphere of the Spirit and Traditions Kickoff event, Sunday's events are designed to help students connect with the college's core values and what it means to be a member of the community.

"This will begin with a chapel service at 10 a.m. led by the Spiritual Life and Church Relations Office at 10 a.m., and then move into the Honor Initiation Ceremony," Dr. Shook said. "Incoming students will show their commitment to the college's support of personal and moral integrity by signing the Honor Code."

Sunday evening will conclude with the year's first Student Government Association meeting followed by the ever-popular hypnotist Daniel James in the Dickson Assembly Room at 8:45 p.m.

Other First Week events designed to assist incoming students connect to the campus community include a discussion of the common reading book "The Things They Carried" by Tim O'Brien; presentations on service, diversity, community and social expectations; and individual service projects in the community led by each Cornerstone professor.

First Week will conclude on Tuesday with the annual Fair on the Hill at 6 p.m. where all students are welcome to interact with student organizations and local restaurants and merchants.

Classes start on Wednesday, and the Opening Convocation service will be at 7 p.m. in Callaway Auditorium.

For more information about "Spirit and Traditions Kickoff" and First Week, contact Dr. Shook at mshook@lagrange.edu . And for more information about move-in, visit here .