New Student Welcome Ideas - Ministry Exchange (MX)

UNCW INTERVARSITY NEW STUDENT WELCOME IDEA LIST

**a list of things to do to build community

Ice Cream Socials- give away ice cream in heavy traffic quads from 6-9pm
(just as freshmen return from dinner) the best location is the substance
free dorm (aka Christian)

Picnic- give away a lot of food, in stages (bring out watermelon after most
people have eaten but are still there) have stuff planned that’s really
easy (pick-up soccer, limbo contest, pie eating contest) try to do
inclusive events where people have the option to join but don’t feel
obligated

Slip-n-slide- put this junk up at one or two key events in the afternoon
(get’s men)

Cage ball- the really big balls from elementary school PE class (again,
attracts men), we just bring it out and it’s fun. Just substitute it for
the ball in soccer to add some order to it

info tables- some draw (freez-e-pops) and some info (quarter sheet flyers)
outside heavy foot traffic (library, academic bldg, dining hall) the
afternoon before a big evening event

movie night- show a movie on the field by the freshmen dorms, have popcorn,
cotton candy, whatever. Try to find a movie that’s a) Classic (The
GOONIES) or b)awesome and new (an action movie that some people love but
not everyone saw in theaters) **unless you’re a women’s college do not
show a romantic comedy

OTHER KEY ELEMENTS

Music- whatever fits your culture (typically hip-hop or with a fast beat),
should be loud enough to attract people but not so loud people can’t talk

Something for people to do while they talk- food, drink, put something in
their hands to keep them occupied.

Queue- a line of people, comfortable inefficiency creates necessity to talk

*remember the point is to get people to have a meaningful conversation not
to feed them. Let your leaders know this is part of the plan so they can
facilitate it.

A high point blurb- when you have a max capacity, cut the music give the 30
second sell and invite them to a deeper investment event

Deeper investment event- when people get to make a choice to get more
involved. For example, “After the picnic, a bunch of us are going to go
back to Bob’s apt to watch The Office, if you want to go talk to someone in
an IV shirt”

Mark your key representatives- anyone you want representing IV should be
easily identifiable. They should blend in until you point them out. SO if
it’s a LUAU give your leaders a distinctive lei assuming you’re handing out
other lei’s to the rest of the group. A different colored name tag, an iv
shirt (ideally the same one), whatever

Prepare for follow-up- the goal of follow-up is to put yourself in someone
else’s space so that they can step into your space. Its not weird if you
set it up during one of these events. Find something that they’re excited
about that’s in their space and invite yourself to see it. For Example,
“Stacy, you play soccer, how bout we go get your ball and see if we can get
a pick-up game going.” Or “Hey tomorrow, I’m gonna come by and see how
your room looks. Then if you’re forgotten something, I can drive you to
Target to get it.”