A student talks with representatives from WCC’s advanced technologies and public service careers division at Welcome Back Day.
by RUBY GO
Staff Writer
The sun was shining, the wind was blowing, and the bees were buzzing. Music — everything from The Who to Katy Perry — echoed through the loud speakers. Some people met face-to-face for the first time. WCC’s Welcome Back Day had begun.
Welcome Back Day was held in Community Park Wednesday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m., and dozens of clubs and organizations were stationed around the area. There was a station for free water and soda, and free ice cream was passed out as well. Goodie bags and prizes were handed out at many, if not all, of the stations, and students were quick to hit up the opportunity.
“Everything is so cool… My favorite part was that I got to win a free T-shirt,” said Arianna Van, a ninth grade student at Washtenaw Technical Middle College (WTMC), a high school on WCC’s campus.
The clubs and organizations that participated in Welcome Back Day included a wide variety of interests. The National Guard and the Alpha Scholars are just a few.
Staffing the National Guard table was Sgt. Ciara Wright. Anyone between the ages of 17 to 35 is eligible to join. Those who are interested in joining but aren’t sure if they qualify should inquire further, according to Wright.
“Don’t disqualify yourself, let us disqualify you… there’s no perfect person,” Wright said.
The Alpha Scholars is a new program WCC is offering this year. Only full-time, first year students are eligible, but membership lasts throughout their time at WCC, according to Earle Jackson, The Alpha Scholars success coach. If you are a full-time, first year student, you are already considered an Alpha Scholar. However, if you don’t opt in by Oct. 15, you will not be accepted into the program. Life skills and career development opportunities are among some of the benefits of becoming a member.
“It’s a program that will give students a well-rounded college experience. We give them the tools they need to be successful in their academic pursuits and outside the classroom,” Jackson said.
Stationed on the outer edge of the park was SASHA Farm Animal Sanctuary, a nonprofit animal rescue organization based in Manchester. They handed out free samples of vegan jerky and chocolate almond milk to advocate for their cause.
“We’re trying to reconnect people to compassion,” said Brece Clark, an employee for SASHA Farm. “Most people don’t believe in animal cruelty… but subconsciously they’re paying for it.”
For Welcome Back Day, the farm aimed to educate the student body about animal agriculture and alternative food options. Scenes of farm animals being killed were played via virtual reality headsets.
“It’s our mode of showing how animals are killed in an immersive, almost like you’re there kind of way,” Clark said. “People have really been responding positively to it, they just didn’t realize how bad (the situation) was.”
A COVID-19 vaccination station was set up outside of the Business Education (BE) building, and it was open to anyone who came in. The number of people who showed up was relatively small, according to Susan Bocks, the operations manager for Visit Healthcare.
Welcome Day is usually held twice a year, once during the fall semester and once during winter semester. If you missed out on this one (or want to participate in more events), a list of events can be found on the Campus Connect website.
