During the six weeks of Emory’s Weeks of Welcome 2025, a range of programs and events will offer countless opportunities for all students — new and returning — to engage with their peers, learn about Recognized Student Organizations and strengthen their sense of belonging.
Event topics range from the spiritual to sports, from information and education to movies, dances and games. Major events, which all undergraduate, graduate and professional Emory students on the Atlanta campus are invited to, include Taste of Atlanta on Saturday, Aug. 23, featuring food and entertainment; First Day Fest on Wednesday, Aug. 27; and the Student Involvement Fair (an opportunity to explore a variety of student organizations) on Wednesday, Sept. 3, and Thursday, Sept. 4.
As part of their orientation, first-year students are invited to the Eagles Pep Rally with Emory coaches, and Rec the Night, an evening of fitness classes, rock climbing and much more. Both events are on Sunday, Aug. 27. Of course, these highlights are only a few of the many activities for students during the first six weeks of the semester.
Weeks of Welcome is coordinated by Student Involvement, Leadership and Transitions (SILT), a Campus Life organization, in partnership with various student organizations as well as university schools and departments.
“Our goal is to highlight opportunities where we not only welcome incoming students but create intentional ways for students to connect across cohorts,” says Carson Banks, director of student engagement with SILT. “Students benefit from building community with their peers across a range of ages and interests.”
The Weeks of Welcome calendar of programs and events showcases the many ways students can pursue their interests and engage with other students and the university community.
“SILT’s role is primarily to get all of the interested parties to the table, so we reached out to university departments that plan to offer engagement opportunities for students during the first six weeks of the fall semester,” says Banks, adding that his team brainstorms with other groups to help develop their events. “The more opportunities there are for students to engage with others in the community, the more they develop a sense of belonging and that’s essential to the Emory experience.”
The key to success is dedicated interdepartmental collaboration across the campus, according to Banks.
“We enjoy great partnerships with a range of student and administrative organizations,” he says. “We all share a strong committed to the same goal — ensuring that Weeks of Welcome fully lives up to its name and warmly welcomes every Emory student to our campus community every fall semester.”
Updated Hub for student involvement
The Hub @ Emory is students’ one-stop student engagement platform for finding events, connections and student organizations. For this new academic year, the Hub has undergone a major upgrade to make it easier to navigate.
Both a website and a mobile app, this platform is used by Recognized Student Organizations and Emory departments to share events and programs with the student community. All Weeks of Welcome events are listed on the Hub.
Students should visit the App Store or Google Play and download the “CampusGroups” app. Next, select “The Hub @ Emory” from the list and log in. From there, students can use the app or their Emory Card to check in for events throughout the year. Be aware that the CampusGroups app name may change soon to include the name “Emory.”