By Marley Anthony, Assistant Editor-in-Chief

Every year, the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor hosts Welcome Week for the incoming freshmen and transfer students to introduce them to the traditions and uplifting spirit on campus. While Welcome Week only lasts five days, the event takes nine months to execute with a large team planning ahead.

“[Applications] come out in January for the committee,” Katy Hartt, Associate Director of Student Leadership and Organization said. “Then you have [Cru Leader] positions and Tri Dubs [apply in] March and April,” Hartt continued. This year, UMHB had 188 student volunteers participate in Welcome Week and about 135 faculty and staff volunteer to assist with move-in day. With 612 incoming freshmen and 45 transfer students, the volunteers divide up to help every student personally feel welcomed.

On move-in day, volunteers are in the heat all morning, moving clothes and furniture into all the freshmen dorms. UMHB keeps plenty of coolers full of water on deck for their students, staff and faculty to combat the heat. UMHB ordered two pallets worth of water bottles to hand out for all of Welcome Week. “We had more [water] leftover [after move-in day], but then we used it for LoveCTX, Rec Fest and other events,” Hartt said. 

Welcome Week codirectors Helene Chaumont and Michaela Desha and Associate Director of Student Organizations Katy Hartt deliver water to students, staff and faculty on move in day.LoveCTX is a Welcome Week event where students fill bags of food for kids and students with food insecurity across Belton, using food donated by H-E-B. This year, H-E-B donated $19,000 worth of food, and all students came together and packed 28,000 meals for kids.

The UMHB student organization is posting on-campus updates all the time on their Instagram, @umhb_so and around their office on the second floor of Bawcom Student Union.