Enthusiasm and excitement could be read on the faces of students, faculty and staff at the North Lake Campus Welcome Bash. Music, games and food offered a warm return, designed to erase the anxiety of school and offer a cordial welcome to both first year and returning students.

The Welcome Bash, held in the Student Life Center, offered resources, entertainment and opportunities for students to connect. Student organizations handed out flyers to reassure the new students of the strong community available to them.

“I have discovered SGA, PTK, SPACE and other student organizations and STEM clubs,” said Mohamad Mata, a freshman majoring in computer engineering. He was amazed by the cultural diversity of the campus. “There are many people from different cultures. I found out some people are from Colombia, Mexico, some people are from Africa. So, it’s very inclusive.”

Sana Habib, a returning student, also found the event welcoming and inclusive. “Actually, I saw the STEM League, and they seemed interesting. They were going to have a video game day or whatever. And MSA, which is the Muslim Student Association,” Habib said.

North Lake Student Engagement Coordinator, Antonio Soresh, underlined the importance of the Welcome Bash for campus life, emphasizing its role in helping first-year students transition to the college experience.

“It helps students to be aware of what’s starting for them. Because [for] a lot of students, this is their first year. It’s an experience,” he said.

Soresh hoped students left the Aug. 28 event with a sense of community and opportunities to get involved with student programs including Student Government Association, Student Programming and Campus Engagement (SPACE) and the campus honors societies volunteering and leadership development opportunities.

The Student Life Center is located in room H200. It’s open Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.