Freshman Family Day set for Sunday, Aug. 16

Annual event welcomes incoming freshmen and their families

The University of New Mexico's Freshman Family Day is set for Sunday, Aug. 16. Freshman Family Day is an event intended to welcome incoming students and their families to the university community. Freshman Family Day includes: the Freshman Convocation, a reception immediately following the ceremony and classroom tours with UNM's Class Crawl.

Freshman Family Day recognizes all of UNM's incoming freshmen, introduces them and their families to the University administrators, faculty and staff, all of whom have been preparing for this day for a long time. The University wants incoming students to know that they are about to enter a new phase in their lives, an academic adventure, which will prepare them to lead a rewarding and fulfilling life.

UNM would like the community of citizens of New Mexico to know that they are welcome on this campus, that UNM expects to partner with the family to ensure student success, and that the University values the family and does not seek to separate students from their familial, cultural and communal roots.

The Freshman Convocation is a ceremonial event held at most colleges and universities in America today. Typically, this symbolic and traditional event marks the beginning of the academic year, and most important, welcomes incoming students to the institution, to its culture and environment, to its history and traditions, and to its leaders, its faculty and staff. The convocation, usually a combination of the serious and the light-hearted, recognizes student and faculty achievement, and provides an opportunity for the Provost and students to address the new class.

The event sets the tone for the coming year, challenges students to succeed, inspires the class to work and socialize as a group, and encourages intellectual growth and emotional maturity. In short, the ceremony demonstrates the character and meaning of the educational experience at UNM.

Schedule of Events
Formal Convocation
When: 4 to 5 p.m. (seating begins at 2:45 p.m.)
Where: Popejoy Hall

Freshmen are given their free UNM T-shirts and seated together as a class in Popejoy Hall. The ceremony will open with a welcome from the Provost, which will be followed by performances and videos to give freshmen and their families a glimpse of student life at UNM.

** Note ** Freshmen will be seated separately from their guests/family. Seating for guests in Popejoy Hall is limited and some guests will be directed to overflow seating in Rodey Theatre or the Student Union Ballroom where the entire program is livecast.

Reception
Immediately following the ceremony, freshmen and their guests are invited to the Student Union Building and Mall area for a reception with hot dogs and ice cream.

Class Crawl
Immediately following the ceremony meet near Cornell Mall (Northeast of the SUB by the fountain). Print out your class schedule and campus volunteers will help you find where your classes on a campus tour. Sponsored by the Student Activities Center, Dean of Students and Residence Life.

Movie on Johnson Field
When: 8 p.m.
Where: Johnson Field
Watch: Avengers 2, drive-in style

For more information, visit: Freshman Family Day, and also, maps and parking.