Media Advisory: Opening Weekend welcomes students, families to UB

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Thousands of students and parents will arrive on campus this week to enjoy the events of Opening Weekend, a fun-filled University at Buffalo tradition that helps kick off the fall semester before classes begin on Monday.

This year’s activities range from a family breakfast to the yearly Interlocking UB photography session, with students wearing blue and white merging to form UB’s interlocking logo.

Open houses and resource fairs will provide new and returning students with information about on-campus jobs and student services. Bus tours will bring new Bulls to see Canalside, Elmwood Avenue and Niagara Falls.

The events introduce new students — including many from outside the region — to UB and Western New York.

Media who would like to attend Opening Weekend should contact Mike Andrei in UB’s Division of Communications at mandrei@buffalo.edu or 716-645-9068.

Highlights include:

Thursday, Aug. 27

• 9:15 a.m.: Room makeover contest winner. UB officials will be on hand to award one UB student a residence hall room makeover, the grand prize for a summer contest sponsored by Pepsi. Location: Clement Hall lobby on UB’s South Campus.
  
  
• 10 a.m. to noon: Freshman move-in. All day long, freshmen will be moving into residence halls on UB’s North and South campuses. Media can interview families and watch the move-in from 10 a.m. to noon at Wilkeson Quadrangle on UB’s North Campus. See this map for the location of the check-in tent at Wilkeson.
  
  
• 8-10 p.m.: Residence hall ice cream social. Students enjoy ice cream while meeting other new students and Campus Living staff in the atrium of UB’s Ellicott Complex, in building G on this map. Media can park in the Richmond Lot and enter the Ellicott Complex through the doors in the bus tunnel area.

Friday, Aug. 28

• 9-11 a.m.: Parent and family breakfast. Parents will have the opportunity to meet other UB families and enjoy a continental breakfast before saying goodbye to their students. Location: Pistachios in the Student Union on UB’s North Campus.
  
  
• 3:30 p.m.: Opening Weekend welcome, Interlocking UB photo. Starting at 3:30 p.m., about 2,000 students will don white and blue T-shirts and merge together to form the interlocking UB logo. As the human UB is formed over the course of about an hour, students will be welcomed to the university with a hand shake from President Satish K. Tripathi and other UB administrators. Location: Student Union field outside the Student Union on UB’s North Campus. The Interlocking UB photo is weather-dependent. Media can call Mike Andrei at 716-645-9068 to find out the status of the event if it is raining.
  
  
• 5-7 p.m.: New student picnic. Students enjoy a barbecue and meet other students and faculty next to Lake LaSalle. Buffalo Aerial Dance will provide entertainment at 6:30 p.m. Location: Baird Point on UB’s North Campus, with the Student Union as the rain site.

Saturday, Aug. 29

• 9-10 a.m.: Returning student move-in. All day long, sophomores, juniors and seniors will be moving into residence halls on UB’s North and South campuses. Media can interview students and watch the move-in from 9-10 a.m. at Red Jacket Hall on UB’s North Campus. See this map for the location of the check-in tent at Red Jacket.

A full schedule of Opening Weekend events: http://www.student-affairs.buffalo.edu/welcome/open.php.