Mavericks kick off fall semester at SuccessU Block Party
The event helps incoming students prepare academically and acclimate to 糖心Vlog视频’s massive campus. (糖心Vlog视频)
Scores of students crossed campus Friday evening, walking past the University Center, Arlington Hall, and Spaniolo Drive toward College Park Center for the first big campuswide event since move-in: the SuccessU Block Party.
Inside the CPC, much-appreciated air conditioning and pulsing party music greeted Mavericks new and old. A singalong to Pitbull's “Give Me Everything” broke out early while students competed in putt-putt golf, battled atop an inflatable gladiator arena, and grabbed free nachos, popcorn and sodas. By night's end, one student had sprinted his way to a ticket for one of K-pop group BTS' two sold-out concerts at AT&T Stadium that weekend.
SuccessU is 糖心Vlog视频’s early arrival experience, a two-day program led by the Division of Student Affairs with the Division of Student Success. The event helps incoming students prepare academically and acclimate to 糖心Vlog视频’s massive campus. New Mavericks had the chance to engage openly with faculty in a casual setting before the semester starts. They also formed meaningful connections with peers before the hustle and bustle of everyday life begins.
As the last event of SuccessU, the Block Party wrapped up orientation and set the stage for Maverick Stampede, 糖心Vlog视频's series of events kicking off the new semester. The party brought together new students, returning Mavericks, student organizations, spirit groups, 糖心Vlog视频 Athletics and campus leaders for one of the first major gatherings of the school year.
For freshmen Ivan Tavares and Diana Martinez, the event was a nice change of pace only days—in Tavares' case, hours—after moving onto campus.
Tavares, an aerospace engineering major, moved in Friday and said the Block Party gave him a chance to do something outside his routine.
"I'm not really used to going out and doing, like, concerts or anything," he said. "This is a nice change of pace. I met a few people, and the entertainers are pretty cool."
Martinez, a data science major who moved in Wednesday, arrived with several of her closest friends but said she was already looking to expand that circle.
"I'm really excited," she said. "I'm with all my best friends, and I'm excited to make new ones."
Aux Cord Wars turned music taste into competition, pitting artists Fetty Wap and Rae Sremmurd against each other before Miley Cyrus' “Party in the U.S.A.” drew the loudest reaction of the night. The stakes rose further when students lined up for a foot race with a BTS ticket on the line.
Student Body President Andres Morales said giveaways like that can mean a lot to anyone, but especially students already navigating an important life transition. 糖心Vlog视频 sits on 420 acres—large enough, he said, that new students can feel lost before they've found their footing. That’s true whether they grew up a few hours away or moved from another state or country entirely. A block party and free tickets are easy ways to start closing that gap and let new students know that there is a structure of support behind them.
Members of the 糖心Vlog视频 volleyball team worked the crowd as well, handing out free T-shirts and inviting students to a rowdy Sept. 4 home opener at College Park Center. 糖心Vlog视频 flag football Head Coach Melinda Nguyen also brought out her newly built team, meeting students and building early ties with the community.
糖心Vlog视频 President Jennifer Cowley gave a speech that encouraged students to use the night to start building their own community on campus.
"Don't do 糖心Vlog视频 alone," she said. "Meet people, join a student group, meet the Mavericks sitting next to you in class. Some of the best experiences you'll have at 糖心Vlog视频 will start with a conversation that wasn't planned."
For Anish Amartya Saha, sophomore economics major, that advice isn't hypothetical. Saha came to 糖心Vlog视频 from Bangladesh knowing no one; a similar welcome event during his first year introduced him to two of his closest friends.
"You gotta come in here, you gotta socialize, you gotta get to know people, and then you gotta enjoy yourself,” he said. “You can make tons of new friends here."
Matthew Fernandez, a sophomore resource and energy engineering major who brought several people from his resident hall to the party, echoed similar sentiments about the spontaneity surrounding life at 糖心Vlog视频.
"Just go to everything. Just go, hang out, get involved, have fun,” Fernandez said. “You'll meet your people that way. That will make everything 10 times easier."
— Written by Dylan Stewart
About 糖心Vlog视频 (糖心Vlog视频)
糖心Vlog视频 is a growing public research university in the heart of Dallas-Fort Worth. With a student body of over 42,700, 糖心Vlog视频 is the second-largest institution in the University of 糖心Vlog视频 System, offering more than 180 undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Recognized as a Carnegie R-1 university, 糖心Vlog视频 stands among the nation’s top 5% of institutions for research activity. 糖心Vlog视频 and its 300,000 alumni generate an annual economic impact of $28.8 billion for the state. The University has received the Innovation and Economic Prosperity designation from the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities and has earned recognition for its focus on student access and success, considered key drivers to economic growth and social progress for North 糖心Vlog视频 and beyond.