By Caroline Herbert, arts and culture reporter
On Tuesday, January 28, New Student and Family Programs hosted a pottery night at Squires Student Center, one of the final Winter Weeks of Welcome (WWW) events.
“With all of our programming, we aim to create welcoming spaces for new students and their families. We really hope that by attending the Winter Weeks of Welcome, students start off on a good foot and get to know other people, and feel a little more at home on campus,” said Maeve Marley, Programs Coordinator of New Student and Family Programs at Virginia Tech.
The event took an unexpected turn when organizers ran out of clay within the first thirty minutes due to higher-than-expected attendance. “This event was advertised as a pottery night, but we had so many more students attend than we expected. We ran out of clay in the first thirty minutes, and now it is a hangout and paint night,” said Marley. The Hokies on Track staff quickly adapted by adding tables, bringing in painting supplies, and playing a Disney movie in the Squires ballroom. Despite the change, the event exceeded expectations.
Aanya Suri, a first-year fall transfer from California, has found the Weeks of Welcome (WoW) events extremely beneficial. “It’s like a third place for us to interact and talk. It’s not just going out or getting food; it’s an activity we can do together,” Suri said. “Painting and pottery are hands-on things I can do with a group of friends or people I’m meeting.”
Marley emphasized that the primary goal of the WWW events is to welcome new first-year and spring semester transfer students, helping them connect with others and learn about Virginia Tech. This semester, they are welcoming 300 new students and aim to make them feel part of campus life.
The events also serve an educational purpose. “Whether it’s learning something small like where the Commonwealth Ballroom is or something bigger, we have more involved and specific events,” Marley said. For example, a paint night hosted by the Sexual Violence Prevention Education (SVPE) office facilitated conversations about healthy relationships, teaching students about the office and its resources.
Another event at The Lyric Theatre allowed students to bond while watching “Pitch Perfect” and learn about the theater, a popular spot in the Virginia Tech community.
Katie Robbins, a Hokies on Track (HOT) intern, shared how these events impacted her since attending as a freshman. “I got into this because I went to these events my freshman year and really liked them, so I applied to be a Weeks of Welcome leader,” Robbins said: “It’s one of the best experiences I’ve had.” Coming from a small town in West Virginia, Robbins understands the challenges of starting at a big school without knowing many people. “It’s a really good experience to be that one person someone can reach out to because starting college is a hard, confusing time,” she added.
While the primary target for the WWW is new spring semester students, New Student and Family Programs welcomes students of all classes and continues to bring Hokies together.
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