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MILLIGAN, Tenn. (Aug. 20, 2024) — Milligan University will welcome new and returning students to campus this weekend, Aug. 23-25.
Each year, the Milligan community strives to make each student immediately feel at home. Upon arrival, new and returning students and families will be greeted for the first time by Milligan’s 16th President Dr. Stephen Waers and First Lady Katie Waers.
“We are excited to welcome the Class of 2028 to campus,” said President Waers. “I am personally looking forward to welcoming my first group of new students to Milligan. Our caring faculty and staff will work hard to help prepare these men and women to achieve their goals.”
WELCOME WEEK
Move-in day also kicks off Milligan’s annual Welcome Week, a tradition which highlights the university’s core tenets of scholarship, community and faith.
For junior Dillon Craig, a biblical and theological studies major from Christiansburg, Virginia, Welcome Week was the catalyst for connections and relationships that he believes will stick with him for a lifetime.
“Before moving to Milligan, I only knew some of my friends from home loved it,” shared Craig. “They would tell me all the time how close the community is, and I knew Milligan was a great place to pursue the liberal arts.”
Milligan includes the university’s entire community during Welcome Week with some events scheduled specifically for new students and other events including the entire student body. Craig appreciated these opportunities to connect and learn from returning students in a fun setting.
“My favorite memory from Welcome Week would be the cornhole and cookout tournament,” said Craig. “This was the first time I got to meet and bond with most of the students on campus. As I connected with other students, they were able to inform me of all the clubs they were a part of, and it is how I heard about the Campus Activity Board and chose to pursue it.”
Welcome Week will include a cookout, corn hole tournament, drive-in movie, foam capture the flag tournament and a block party. New students will also dine with their mentor groups, consisting of a small cohort of students and a faculty member, that will meet throughout the semester.
MATRICULATION
On Saturday evening, new students will formally mark the start of their academic journey during the university’s Matriculation ceremony. The ceremony will be held at 7:30 p.m. in Seeger Chapel followed by a dessert reception.
“This first night on campus is a special time for new students to start building their community and finding their place at Milligan,” shared Brealle Davis, director of campus activities and campus minister at Milligan. “Seeger Chapel hosts two integral events for students during their time at Milligan. They begin their journeys in Seeger for our annual Matriculation service, and they end their journeys in Seeger when they graduate. Matriculation marks the beginning of an incredible adventure that will be filled with personal growth, numerous achievements and lifelong friendships.”
Before students arrive, Milligan faculty and staff will gather on the university’s Mary Sword Commons to pray for students and the upcoming academic year. During Welcome Week, the entire Milligan community will worship together for the first time in Seeger Chapel.
Classes will begin on Tuesday, Aug. 27. For more information on Welcome Week, visit www.today.milligan.edu/summer-sizzler/.