Blue eye shadow, casino chips and Slinkys are all part of the happenings during the Welcome (Back) Week.
Jill Wulfenstein, vice president of student life and a senior integrated studies major from Pahrump, Nevada, said Welcome (Back) Week aims to ease students into the spring semester and add in the social aspect of college life with a variety of events throughout this week.
Wulfenstein said the Welcome (Back) Week helps transition from fun to going back to class.
“We have all of these really fun events to help you get reconnected with your friends from school,” Wulfenstein said. “If you have new roommates moving in, it is a good way to go out with them or to meet new people.”
Wulfenstein said there will be events almost every day for students to participate in, but she personally is excited for comedienne Chloé Hilliard.
Hilliard will be performing at 7:30 p.m. on Friday in the Gardner Center Ballroom.
Wulfenstein said she saw Hilliard perform at a National Association for Campus Activities convention. She said she is excited to have a female comedienne featured at Dixie State University.
Casino Night will be back tonight. The event will be held in the Gardner Center at 7:30 p.m., with the main event downstairs and the “High Rollers Club” upstairs, Wulfenstein said. The event is “dress to impress,” she said, and the dress code will be enforced.
“It feels more fun when you are dressed up,” Wulfenstein said. “It is like you are in Vegas, living the high life.”
Casino Night is coordinated by a company called Common Cents, Wulfenstein said, which brings in the tables, chips and raffle. Everything is fake, she said, and no money is involved. Everyone is given the same amount of chips at the beginning, and the chips are exchanged for raffle tickets.
“We have student volunteers who deal at the tables,” Wulfenstein said. “Whenever I volunteer, I still have to count on my fingers!”
Kayla Coolbear, vice president of public relations and a senior art major from San Francisco, said the event she looks forward to is ‘80s Stomp on Saturday. She said there will be Slinkys all over the place at the dance to add to the ‘80s vibe. There will be ‘80s-themed music by disc jockey Marcus Wing.
Students are encouraged to dress in ‘80s theme attire. Coolbear said she is going to rock the side ponytail and neon colors.
“My mom told me that when she was in the ‘80s, it was cool to wear blue eyeshadow,” Coolbear said. “I am going to [wear] something like that.”
The dance will be held at 9 p.m., right after the basketball game, in the Gardner Center Ballroom, Wulfenstein said.
Club Rush, held the first week of every semester, is today and Thursday on the campus diagonal from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Brogan Crockett, vice president of clubs and organizations and a junior biology major from St. George, said clubs have booths and meet with students who are interested in being members or have similar interests to join their club.
“We have the individual clubs [use] rosters to sign up…” Crockett said. “They are trying to get people to sign up or be interested in their programs, or make them aware of programs offered here at Dixie.”
