A little girl from Kansas once said, “there’s no place like home.”

But Weeks of Welcome, a six-week long program run annually by the Student Life office, aims to ensure that SUNY Buffalo State is a warm and inviting place for students as they begin the school year.

These first few weeks are the time for new and returning students to get into gear for the upcoming semester.

Orientation is where it all begins. Students will get to hear Student Life representatives discuss the programs they offer, be able to attend a resource fair and will learn about what’s to come in the Weeks of Welcome (WOW) program. USG President Ashleigh Sutherland has also stated that United Student Government will be speaking at student convocations and will be at both freshman and transfer orientation discussing campus opportunities with incoming students including academics, residential life, and athletics, to name a few.

In collaboration with different campus organizations and departments such as the Career Development Center, Resident Housing Association, United Student Government, and the Alumni Association, the Student Life office has been planning both social and academic events for students.

“It is a great campus community time where we want make sure we are providing students with all of the resources for them to be academically successful and have the social experience,” said Tamara McMillan, associate director of student life for leadership.

One event that is designed for making campus life a bit easier for students is the Part-Time Job Luau held by the Career Development Center August 28.

Students have the chance to connect with on and off campus employers. It is recommended that students bring copies of their resume to the luau with them. For those who have yet to write a resume or need some direction, the Career Development Center’s website provides a sample resume as a guide.

The next thing freshman and transfers can bring more focus to: meeting people. For some, this can be one of the hardest parts of coming to a new school, but WOW can be a helping hand in the process.

The Resident Housing Association is having a Tie Dye Party and a Dance Party thrown by Student Life in the quad to act as a mixer for new students, specifically freshman. Before thinking about what WOW event to go to, Ms. McMillan gives some advice, “I tell people to try to connect with someone during orientation. You’re leaving what you’ve known for seventeen years, why wouldn’t you be homesick?” she said. “It’s an opportune time to say, ‘Hey (insert name of person you met during orientation) want to go to (insert event)?’”

About a month after school is in session, Homecoming at SUNY Buffalo State causes a roar on campus. Homecoming runs in conjunction with family weekend from September 16 through the September 21. Still a part of the WOW calendar, here’s what you can expect: the football game scheduled for September 20 against Alfred State, along with the king and queen competition, lip-sync competition, barbeque, and more. Make sure you’ve done your orange load of laundry that week and get ready to stir up some Bengal pride. There is an official homecoming event calendar at homecoming.buffalostate.edu/schedule-events.

A campus calendar is in the works that will mark all Weeks of Welcome activities and feature activities being held through other departments and organizations. Students can also log on to bengalconnect.com for more information about campus events as well as access Student Life’s Facebook page: BuffaloState StudentLife.

“We want students to come away with a better understanding of the different clubs and organizations as well as how they can get involved with the community through volunteer work, and experience the arts on campus,” said Dean of students Dr. Charles Kenyon. “We hope that Buffalo State becomes their home away from home.”

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