By the students, for the students of Central Washington University

The Observer

By the students, for the students of Central Washington University

The Observer

By the students, for the students of Central Washington University

The Observer

Campus rolls out the red carpet for incoming class

By ALYSSA MARTINEZ, staff reporter

This Saturday will bring close to 2,000 students to Central’s campus for the annual Wildcat Day.

Wildcat Day is Phase 1 of 4 of the orientation program that University Housing and New Student Programs coordinates.

During this information-packed day, future Central students who have been accepted to the university will have an opportunity to tour the campus, visit with representatives from most departments and academic programs, and take workshops on financial aid and housing.

“If you’ve ever been in the SURC on a Saturday morning, it’s probably pretty dead, right?” said John Mounsey, assistant director of University Housing and New Student Programs. “This day we really bring it alive so that it feels like a regular day. We want to recreate what it would feel like to be here.”

There will also be between 30 and 40 clubs and organizations present at Wildcat Day, and the Wildcat Shop will be offering special discounts.

Another opportunity students will have is to tour the campus and residence halls. As a Resident Assistant, musical theater major, Cherisse Martinelli gets students well-acquainted with the residence halls on Wildcat Day, specifically Kamola Hall.

“It’s a great first taste of what it’s going to be like going to Central, and what kind of community our university has to offer,”  Martinelli said.

The event is seen as a positive experience for incoming students, not only by university staff, but by current students who have attended in the past as well, including junior sociology major Jose Hernandez.

“When you walk in, they ask you what you might be considering majoring in, and they point you in the right direction,” Hernandez said. “ I think that was the best part, just having the professors talk to you about the different programs at CWU.”

Almost all major and academic programs will be represented in some way on Wildcat Day, allowing students to break out into different classrooms depending on their interests.

In addition to the Clubs and Organizations Fair, Wildcat Day will offer tours of the Recreation Center and a special session titled “Jr. Wildcats.” This session is specifically tailored for future students who are in the application process, or still trying to decide if Central is the right school for them.

Parents and family members are strongly encouraged to attend Wildcat Day.

“We definitely value the whole family in this decision,” Mounsey said. “We know that the students are more successful when they have support at home as well as on campus, and that’s why during orientation we talk about a three-prong approach which is the university, the family, and the students themselves.”

Wildcat Day is sure to be filled with hundreds of excited and curious future Wildcats, with attendance being expected to increase from last year’s approximate 650 students.

“I strongly recommend going because you’re going into something you know nothing about, a new school, and I feel like Wildcat Day helps you find a path to follow and is a good introduction to the school,” Hernandez said.

Wildcat Day is free and no registration is required.

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