Marley Anthony, Assistant Editor

Every year, the students, staff and faculty of the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor come together to host Welcome Week. Welcome Week is a week full of events and traditions to help incoming students create friendships and find organizations they are passionate about.

Despite UMHB being a school for 181 years, Welcome Week has only been around since the 1980s, creating some traditions that students still participate in this year. 

“Prior to [Welcome Week], [students] had different freshmen orientations,” Jeff Sutton, Director of Alumni Engagement said. Traditions would come and go as the university was still figuring out what worked. “[Welcome Week] shifted and adjusted based on what the students wanted.” 

The one tradition that has stuck with students for more than 30 years is the Dubbing Ceremony. In 1995, dubbing became a Welcome Week tradition from students wanting traditions that weave connection in an experience. Dubbing used to be less personable, a few students would get dubbed, each representing a group, but now every student receives a candle and the opportunity to be dubbed a Crusader forever. 

Sutton explained the candle symbolizes how a freshman has the “light” passed on to them when dubbed by UMHB staff and faculty.This ties into another UMHB tradition, the seniors pass that same “light” they were given as freshmen on to others via candle during the Midnight March.

While UMHB has iconic, lasting traditions, some traditions did not have the same impact. “When I was a student here, there was a mud pit by the train tracks that was a big part of Welcome Week,” Sutton said. The mud pit has since been removed from Welcome Week for safety purposes. Other traditions continue but have been changed slightly, still having the same spirit. The Dubbing Ceremony was held at Luther Memorial before being moved to Crusader Stadium to create more space for the students.

The Alumni House is involved with many parts of Welcome Week from Move-in Day to Sutton’s favorite tradition, the Dubbing Ceremony. The Alumni Association is not only there to watch the new students be dubbed Crusaders forever, but also volunteers hand out the shirts after the ceremony. “It’s just their way to see and support this next generation of students, and to make sure they realize they are joining this family,” Sutton said.

For more information on getting involved with the UMHB Alumni House and Alumni events, go to umhb.edu and click on the Alumni tab.