Welcome, Vaqueros

UTRGV is welcoming students to the Spring 2019 semester with games, food and other fun events until Thursday.

Lauren Contreras, program coordinator for Student Activities, said the purpose of Week of Welcome is to create a space for unity among students, for them to have a good time and interact with each other.

“Students need to see the university having fun and they need see the different departments kind of all in one place, versus trying to find what their location is all over campus,” Contreras said.

About 500 students on each campus are expected to attend the events, which began last Wednesday.

‘Kickback to the 20’s’-Edinburg

More than 100 students attended “Kickback to the 20’s” last Wednesday inside the Edinburg Ballroom.

“I am here because there’s a lot of sororities and fraternities here, and I’m a part of a sorority,” said Brishiy Cavazos, a Mexican-American studies senior. “So, I just wanted to come and support. I’ve done Blackjack. … That one was really fun. I think that was my favorite out of all of them.”

Cavazos said she would like to attend the Back to School Bash this week and is looking forward to the activities and games it will have.

When students arrived at Kickback on the Edinburg campus, they were met by members of student organizations at information tables. Fraternities and sororities, including Sigma Lambda Gamma, Kappa Delta Chi, Alpha Sigma Tau, Phi Ota Alpha, Lambda Theta Alpha, answered students’ questions about joining
their organizations.

“We’re here to meet with students, hopefully, some ladies who want to become part of our organization,” said Josie Fuentes, a criminal justice junior and Lambda Theta Alpha member. “Because there are
wonderful ladies in here who share so many experiences and different ethnic backgrounds, in general, and it’s just really nice to see them come together in
a sisterhood.”

The organization’s motto is “Latin by tradition not definition.”

“Yes, we are a Latin-based sorority, but that doesn’t mean you have to be Latina to be part of it,” Fuentes said.

Members of The Economics Society also attended.

“I’m here to promote our first meeting, Jan. 22.,” said Andrea Aleman, a finance and marketing senior and vice president of The Economics Society.

Aleman said the organization has big events once a month and helps other members grow professionally and learn more about economics. She also decided to try out the event as an attendee.

“I heard about it from my friends around school, and I’ve never heard about anything like this, and I thought it was very interesting,” Aleman said. “I like that the students are gathered in one place, and they get to learn about different people, different organizations, and have fun.”

She said she wanted to try different games.

“I’ve only gotten to play the lotería, and it’s very interesting. … It’s like Twister but with lotería, and it’s intricate and complicated, but it’s a lot of fun.”

Back to School Bash-Brownsville

Last Thursday, the Office of Student Activities partnered with University Recreation, the Student Union and the Campus Programming Board to host the Back to School Bash on the
Brownsville campus.

Attendees played ladder toss and Human Foosball, ate s’mores, earned free T-shirts and talked to representatives from several organizations and clubs that provided membership information.

Mario Flores, a fine arts sophomore and member of the UTRGV Superhero Project, attended the event to educate students on the services they offer and promote how to be an active bystander
on campus.

“The event itself is just being able to provide students with that source of school pride,” Flores said. “So, since we are a small campus here in Brownsville, it’s good to have the students know that they are part of the community.”

Other organizations tabling at the event included the Baptist Student Ministry, Collegiate Entrepreneurs Organization and the Office of Victim Advocacy and Violence Prevention,
among others.

Week of Welcome events also included info depots on both campuses that provided information to students on the services and resources the university offers.

Last Thursday, Athletics hosted Back to School Night, when the UTRGV Women’s Basketball Team faced off against Utah Valley in the Fieldhouse on the Edinburg campus.

Week of Welcome will continue with “Kickback to the 20’s” at 4 p.m Tuesday in PlainsCapital Bank El Gran Salón on the Brownsville campus. On the Edinburg campus, the Back to School Bash will begin at 4 p.m. Thursday on the Chapel Lawn.

“This is one big welcome back to the spring semester,” Contreras said.