Where All Are Welcome
A beloved Baylor tradition, Welcome Week brings together students who are new to campus and creates opportunities for connection, belonging and self-discovery. New first-year and transfer students spend the days leading up to the beginning of the semester getting to know one another and preparing to start their Baylor journeys together.
After Move2BU, students are all moved into their new residence halls and Welcome Week officially begins. Students are grouped by residence halls so they get to know their new neighbors, and groups are led by Welcome Week leaders. They journey together in the days leading up to the first day of school, socializing and creating strong friendships.
“Welcome Week groups really provide an additional opportunity for students to build and continue solid connections,” said Jesse Ross, M.S.Ed. ’17, lead coordinator for welcome experiences. “Though Welcome Week is packed with fun activities, there are plenty of moments throughout the week for students to gather with their groups and have conversations about what they’re excited about or maybe nervous about and share their stories. As current students, Welcome Week leaders can answer questions and offer suggestions and advice for how to navigate their first semester.”
Welcome Week kicks off with A Waco Welcome, a come-and-go showcase for students and their families to explore local eateries, community partners and businesses that make Waco special. The next day, students attend Academic Convocation, marking the beginning of their academic journey at Baylor. In the afternoon, students will have the opportunity to engage with various schools, colleges and academic programs at Academic Open Houses before attending the Spirit Rally at Foster Pavilion, where they get their first taste of Baylor’s athletic and spirit traditions.
The week also offers a Celebration of Community and Faith, where students can connect with representatives from local churches and faith communities to learn more about getting involved. In the afternoon, students gather at their residence halls for their first hall meeting of the year, where they hear from their residence hall staff and learn more about their unique community.
Welcome Week concludes with a candlelight worship service on Fountain Mall for a special night of community and reflection commemorating the start of the school year. As students anticipate the beginning of classes in the morning, they’re reminded of the purpose and calling that God has given them that has led them to Baylor and to each other. They’re encouraged to explore their unique identity in Christ, their purpose and their community as they embark on this new journey. A moment of silent reflection offers students an opportunity to pray for their friends and families back home as well as their new classmates and professors and ends with the reminder of the steadfast love of God that endures beyond whatever successes and failures lie ahead as students light one another’s candles to conclude the evening.
“As we pass the flame through the crowd, we see how our lives touch one another’s, and we are all connected in this community as we start the semester together,” said Ross. “As Christians, we are the light of the world, and as we see that light being passed from person to person, we recognize that we all have the opportunity to reflect Baylor’s Christian mission.”