The Office of Student Life hired nine student directors for the 2016 Wildcat Week.
This marks the most students ever hired to lead the welcoming activities for freshmen and transfer students.
“Wildcat Week is the first taste of ACU that the incoming freshmen get, and I think it’s really important and exciting to showcase our university and build relationships with the freshmen before school actually starts,” said Gabrielle Robinson, a junior pre-law and public relations major from Lubbock.
Robinson was one of the nine students selected to work with Caddie Coupe, director of Wildcat Week, in organizing all the events during orientation. Coupe, along with Mark Jackson, associate director of student organizations and programs, and Jennifer Ellison, director of University Events, interviewed over 20 students but decided on the nine student directors last week.
The newly chosen student directors come from a wide range of departments on campus. Six of them worked on the steering committee for last year’s Wildcat Week, and all nine were involved in the first ever Wildcat Week this past August. Trevor Tyson, a junior management and marketing major from Abilene, was one of the six to return from the committee.
“I had so much fun being actively involved with it, and I also see this upcoming Wildcat Week being bigger, better and a huge success,” Tyson said. “I think there is no better way to start off the school year than being involved with Wildcat Week and welcoming in the new students.”
It is the second year since the overhaul of Welcome Week to Wildcat Week, and already the new student directors are eager to make their own improvements. They want to work to solidify some of the new traditions that began last year as well as plan some new unique events.
The team recently returned from a conference held at TCU to help them prepare and dream big for Wildcat Week 2016. Tyson said the directors talked with other groups from schools like Texas Tech, University of Texas, Virginia Tech and TCU.
“We saw that we were doing a great job already, but just like any successful institution we found ways to improve,” Tyson said. “This is going to be an exciting new Wildcat Week not only for the incoming students, but as well for the Wildcat Leaders. We want to make sure everyone involved with Wildcat Week has a fun time.”
The student directors will continue to brainstorm ways to add even more to the Wildcat Week experience.
“I think they did a good job last year revamping the entire week,” Robinson said. “But I am excited to work with Caddie to deliver an incredible and unique experience to the incoming freshmen. ”
Still, the student directors have higher goals than planning fun events.
“I think the most important aspects of Wildcat Week are to welcome freshmen into the Abilene community, get them familiar with ACU and its traditions, connect them as a class and instill in them the mission of ACU,” Tyson said.
[NINE 2016 WILDCAT WEEK STUDENT DIRECTORS]
Aaron Burch – junior kinesiology pre-med major from Flower Mound
Bailey Goodenough – sophomore social studies education major from Abilene
Maleah Hodge – junior marketing major from Edmond, Oklahoma
Kelvin Kelley – sophomore sports and recreation management major from Abilene
Gideon Luck – junior computer science major from Kerrville
Logan Moore – junior biology major from Amarillo
Meg Patton – junior graphic design major from Abilene
Gabby Robinson – junior pre-law and public relations major from Lubbock
Trevor Tyson – junior marketing and management major from Abilene
