The NEIU Programming Board and Student Leadership Development (SLD) put together “Welcome Week,” a week-long event to kick off the fall semester.

The week-long celebration kicked off on Aug. 27 with games such as Giant Jenga, Pop-A-Shot and Connect Four in the University Commons.

NEIU Student Sam Galagher said, “I like how Welcome Week brings all the students together. You make friends and it makes you feel like you’re not just a number here.”

Later in the evening the SLD team hosted a karaoke night in the cafeteria. Students were able to sing their favorite songs and mingle with each other.

On Aug 28, the SLD provided a walking taco station where they served bags of Frito-Lay corn chips with beans, beef or both along with different taco fixings such as salsa, lettuce, cheese, etc. There was also a tie-dye station for students to make their own tie dye t-shirts.

In the evening, the SLD team hosted a bingo and loteria night in which students could compete for various prizes.

On Aug. 29, the SLD team offered some Spin Art and a “Pizza and Trivia” night in the evening at Alumni Hall South.

NEIU German-exchange student Nima Ahm said, “It’s very important to get to know other people and what I like most about welcome week is getting to see what NEIU has to offer.”

On Aug. 30 the SLD team held an ice cream social in the Student Commons in which students had a choice of chocolate or vanilla ice cream to enjoy along with an assortment of toppings to choose from.

Later in the day, SLD held a “Freshman Meet-Up” in the Angelina Pedroso Center and afterward the final event was Improv: Sex Signals to signify dating and relationships in college.

NEIU senior Bethany Morris said, “Welcome Week is important because it gives incoming students the opportunity to feel welcome to meet new people, and to find out about different things that happen on campus.”  

According to the SLD section on the NEIU website: “Student Leadership Development strives to enhance students college experience through student engagement. We nurture students as they emerge on campus. We guide them as they advance through their collegiate career. We support them as they develop transferable skills.”

SLD is located within the Angelina Pedroso Center for Diversity and Intercultural Affairs. The Pedroso Center is in Building B, room 159.