A Big, Warm Welcome: Full week of activities set stage for success on the mountain

With a new class of students making their way to Lynchburg, Va., this week and thousands of returning students joining them, Liberty University staff and student leadership stand ready to usher them on campus during an annual Liberty tradition: Welcome Week.

The week officially began on Wednesday, the first day of move-in for new students. From the loud cheers of energetic student leaders descending on vehicles to help whisk away their belongings to their rooms, to prayer times on the Academic Lawn, meet-and-greets with deans, and fun social events like Big Band Night, the activities help students feel at home and jump right into Liberty’s exciting campus life the moment they step foot on Liberty Mountain.

“During Welcome Week, our team collaborates with various departments to connect new students with a wide range of support services, provide meet-and-greet type events, and worship together,” said Dwayne Melton, interim dean of the College of Applied Studies and Academic Success. “These activities not only provide essential information about campus resources but also foster a sense of community and belonging from day one.”

New students are greeted at their residence halls by members of their hall leadership — Community Group Leaders (CGLs) and Resident Shepherds (RSs) — ready with smiles and muscles to help haul items to their rooms before they explore campus and attend a full slate of activities aimed at orienting them to their new home and the college life.

Savannah Flack, assistant director of operations for CASAS, said Doughnuts with the Deans on Friday morning is one of the team’s biggest events — and her favorite.

“We have every school’s dean on the Academic Lawn, and it’s just a great opportunity for students to meet them and get to hear a little bit about their school. We like to do this so that when you walk across the stage at graduation, you’re saying, ‘Wow, we connected from the very first moment.’”

Schools host Academic Welcome Sessions for students to learn about events, clubs, and opportunities within their degree program; if students are undecided, they can explore any session that interests them to see if it would be a good fit.

Parent and Family Sessions are provided twice during Welcome Week so families can ask questions and find out more about how they can support their child as they transition into college life.

“It’s a great resource for parents to know all the things they want to know before they drop their student off at college,” Flack said. “It’s reminding them that we are going to take good care of their student.”

University departments set up tables before the sessions begin, so parents can walk around and ask questions.

Similarly, there is a First-Year Hub event from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, where students can stop by at any time to receive a free T-shirt and ask questions that come up as they adjust to the first few days of college life.

Flack said Liberty’s Welcome Week is different than other universities in the way that it not only provides students with valuable information about move-in and classes, but places a priority on building community.

“Liberty does a great job of building community,” Flack said. “There’s this atmosphere of excitement and joy as we pray for the parent and the student, and we offer all these opportunities to really send them off into success.”

To that end, CASAS has teamed with the Offices of Spiritual Development, Student Activities and Campus Recreation to offer multiple activities throughout the week like Prayer on the Lawn, Big Band Night, Bingo, Open Mic Night, an outdoor movie, ziplining and high ropes courses, and a horses meet-and-greet at the Liberty University Equestrian Center (view the full Welcome Week schedule).

The Office of Spiritual Development is hosting a New Student Convocation at the Vines Center on Friday, Aug. 16, and the Campus Community Opening Night of Worship will be on Monday, Aug. 19, on the Academic Lawn, following the first day of classes.

New students also take part in the traditional Flames Kick-off on Friday night, a pep rally-type event that introduces new students to Liberty Athletics teams, the cheers, and all the Liberty fan traditions. Transfer students are invited to a Transfer Social to connect with more students who are coming from other universities.

Welcome Week officially ends 10 days later, on Aug. 24, celebrating the end of the first week of classes at one of the biggest highlights of the year, Block Party. The event, hosted by Student Activities, begins at 5 p.m. in the LaHaye Parking Lot and is open to current residential students, faculty, and staff. It features live music with guest artist Forrest Frank, food trucks, carnival rides, giveaways, local vendors, department information tables, and more.

Liberty estimates that residential enrollment this fall will surpass 16,000 for the first time. The university is welcoming close to 4,400 new incoming undergraduate students. About 8,500 students are living in campus housing.

Liberty is also projecting a record enrollment of about 127,000 students in its online program for the 2024-25 academic year. Liberty’s overall enrollment, in both residential and online programs, is projected to hit a record 140,000 students.

View scenes from this year’s Welcome Week on Liberty’s Facebook and Instagram accounts.