Concert, bigger crews to whirl into Welcome Week 2023

A Labor Day concert in GCU Arena highlights the new offerings for Welcome Week 2023 that runs Aug. 28-Sept. 6 on Grand Canyon University’s campus.

Jordy Searcy, a singer-songwriter with spiritual leanings and a 2014 contestant on “The Voice,” will perform for the 7 p.m. ticketed show ($10 for students) at GCU Arena.

“We used to have a Welcome Week concert, and students have asked us to bring it back,” said Alden Sia, Welcome Programs Manager. “We hope that it will grow and bring artists that students know and love and become a Welcome Week staple.”

Another initiative continues the evolution of Welcome Week from prior years. Those frenzied express Move-Ins, which featured hundreds of students cheering and mobbing vehicles of students and families to help them unload, are no less spirited but are now organized by appointment.

Parents and students have said they love the appointments because of less waiting time. Vehicles can be in and out of campus in 45 minutes or less.

To maintain the excitement, a student Welcome Crew is stationed throughout campus to cheer and aid in the process of directing traffic and finding buildings. This year, the number of students involved in Welcome Crew has nearly doubled to 750.

The larger number of volunteers also helps to keep the spirit up across the growing campus, which this year will have as many students moving into the east side with the addition of two more apartment complexes, Santa Cruz and Copper.

Another expansion also should ease the transition week for students.

This year, 120 student orientation leaders' positions are scholarship positions. Those leaders will train for two weeks before Welcome Week.

“Each leader will serve multiple days for groups of 12-18 students and take them through finding resources and what it’s like to be a college student,” Sia said.

It will allow for more breakout sessions within daily orientations with trained students who can be more thorough.

“They apply for this position, they asked to do and want to do it. They have buy-in and care about the student experience,” Sia said.

Another schedule tweak includes simultaneous or overlapping evening events with student leaders freed up for them by having a larger Welcome Crew. Every night features at least two events, sometimes three.

For example, on Tuesday, Aug. 29, students have the option of working up a sweat dancing at Project L or taking in a cooler, quieter Movie in the Arena, or playing at Welcome Back at the CAC, which this year will stay open until 11:30 p.m. for free time after the event concludes at 9 p.m.

Welcome Programs Marketing and Communication Coordinator Garrett Abeyta says it will help spread out the crowds and lower wait times.

Other new events include: A virtual clubs workshop, which helps to answer more general but detailed questions about clubs, so students can attend the large Club and Community Fair on Wednesday, Sept. 6, with more knowledge as they sample all the offerings; additional Intramural Nights to play sand volleyball, kickball or basketball; and a Global Outreach open house.

The most popular events will continue, such as the Canyon Activities Board’s Silent Disco (dancing with music heard only through issued headphones) and Canyon Cool Down (wet fun on Colter Field).

“Silent Disco is really big. It just keeps growing every year,” Sia said.

Friday night’s high-spirited pep rally called Lope-A-Palooza always brings a big crowd to GCU Arena, while Ignite worship night on Tuesday, Sept. 5, allows students to partake in an additional outlet of spirit.

Sia expects to see as many for 2023 Move-In as last year’s record of more than 9,000, although up to 2,500 leaders will be moving in prior to Welcome Week.

Not to bury the lead, but yes, there will again be the popular temporary tattoos (including the President Brian Mueller tattoo) among the GCU swag offerings.

Information and events are also available on Welcome Programs' new website gcuwelcome.org.

Grand Canyon University senior writer Mike Kilen can be reached at [email protected].