SIUE Experience

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Experience Guides

Volunteer

The SIUE Experience: Fall Welcome Weekend will be here before we know it! We have been hard at work crafting a robust program to welcome everyone to SIUE. With tracks for entering first-year, transfer, and graduate students, the weekend’s goal is to help new students build strong connections to our community and prepare for the first day of classes. All new students are expected to attend this program in some capacity.

Throughout the summer and the SIUE Experience program, there are a variety of ways that faculty and staff can help welcome students to campus. We hope you will take time to support our new students in one or more of the following ways:

Ask Me

Friday, Aug. 19 - Monday, Aug. 22
Various Locations

A campus favorite! During Ask Me, you'll help answer new student questions and point them in the right direction as they look for their classrooms and other campus locations. Sign up for Ask Me!

New Student “Great Start” Note-writing

Now through August 8

Help welcome our new students to campus by writing a note of welcome! Note-writers will be able to share words of encouragement, their favorite things about SIUE and tips for starting the semester off strong! Volunteers can opt to write 10, 20, or 30 cards. A sample note will be provided. Request your note packs today!

Great Day to be a Cougar T-shirt Distribution

Friday, Aug.19 | Shifts between 1:30 - 4 p.m.
MUC Goshen Lounge

We are so excited to bring back one of our favorite traditions, the incoming class photo. This year we will be back at the Cougar Statue! Volunteers will help set-up shirts, check in students, pass out the traditional "Great Day to be a Cougar" shirts and clean-up boxes. Students love wearing this shirt in their class photo! Be a t-shirt volunteer!

Parade to the Cougar Statue and Class Photo

Friday, Aug. 19 | 3:15 p.m.
Lovejoy Library then Stratton Quad

SIUE departments, student organizations, alumni and Edwardsville/Glen Carbon community members are invited to line the route as our newest students parade to the Cougar Statue for their class photo. Volunteers will meet in the Lovejoy Library main level for quick directions and location assignments. Wear comfortable Cougar Gear, bring signs and cheer on our newest students as they partake in one of their first campus traditions. Stay around after the photo for a campus-wide ice cream social. Sign up to line the parade route!

Cougars in the Community Site Leader

Saturday, Aug. 20 | 8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Varied Community Service Sites

Sign up to serve as a co-site leader as new SIUE students engage with the local community through a variety of service opportunities. As part of our annual SIUE Experience Welcome Weekend events, and in alignment with SIUE's mission and values, we are pleased to host our annual new student service project. Each year, new SIUE students, alongside faculty and staff volunteer site leaders, will engage with a variety of non-profits to complete service projects and help do their part to shape a changing world. Sign up to serve as a Faculty/Staff Site Leader!