Are you wondering how to get connected at SPH? Whether it's your first year and you're looking to make new connections, your last year and you want to go out strong, or you just want to hang out, enjoy free food and win prizes, Welcome Week has an event for everyone!
Our fourth annual Welcome Week kicks off Monday Sept. 22 with daily events for the whole community. Join us to gather and celebrate the start of a new school year!
“This is our opportunity to celebrate and acknowledge the start of a new school year,” said Tia Cunningham, the assistant director for student engagement. “It’s an opportunity for us to spend time as a community, as a school, welcoming back our students, faculty and staff.”
Events include interactive activities such as a “Happiness Wall” where students can share and read encouraging messages, a vision board event, free coffee and also an online scavenger hunt for participants to win school swag items such as t-shirts, lunch boxes and free meals.
Senior public health practice major Fiza Khan, who has attended previous Welcome Weeks, encourages all students, especially freshmen, to attend.
“Everyone was extremely welcoming, and it was really nice to see all the different clubs and organizations representing public health. It gave me a better sense of community and helped me learn about opportunities to get involved,” Khan said.
Welcome Week allows us to take a pause, come together and hopefully spread a little bit of joy. We are a school, we are united and in this together.
Tia Cunningham
Assistant Director for Student Engagement
Don’t miss
“Swag & Seek” scavenger hunt on Sept. 23 and 26. Follow SPH Student Engagement Initiative on Instagram for everything you need to know to win!
A Health, Wellness and Belonging Fair on Sept. 25, from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. formerly called the SPH Involvement Fair, welcomes students to learn about and join a wide variety of SPH clubs, and offers resources for self-care.
Boris’ Block Party on Sept. 25, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. brings food trucks, games and socializing. Dean Boris Lushniak will attend and welcome students.
A full list of all events can be found here.
Cunningham has an important message for students: don’t get caught up in the “hustle” of the school year and forget to take a break!
“Welcome Week allows us to take a pause, come together and hopefully spread a little bit of joy,” Cunningham said. “I don’t want students to feel like they are alone. We are a school, we are united and in this together.”
- Sumaya Abdel-Motagaly