Welcome home Blazers!

The start of freshmen year can be an exciting yet scary time for students and family members. To help students integrate into the UAB campus and community, the Division of Student Affairs will host Blazer Welcome. Blazer Welcome is a six-week programing series to help new students get acclimated and connected to campus. Blazer Welcome is designed to assist new students in their transition to UAB by offering programs and opportunities that covers a multitude of topics and activities. The first 6 weeks of college is an imperative time for students to find their niche and become engaged with all campus has to offer.

Throughout Blazer Welcome different departments and organizations across campus will host events that are free to students. All events that take place during Blazer Welcome will target at least one of five specific areas such as: academic engagement, civic engagement, campus connections, healthy living, and diversity and inclusion. UAB understands the transition to college and being in a new environment can be an overwhelming experience for some students. While transitioning to college life can be a stressful experience for students, Blazer Welcome aims to provide students with the support and resources they need to be successful at UAB.

Faculty and staff are well versed in the programs and offerings provided throughout Blazer Welcome and will be able to assist in guiding your student through their first six weeks. Feeling homesick, isolated, and anxious can be an overwhelming feeling not only for the student but overwhelming for the parent as well.  Blazer Welcome hopes to combat those feelings through all the opportunities, but also through Student Affairs’ Pathfinder program. Pathfinders are peer involvement mentors that have been in the student's shoes. They know what it is like to be a new student on campus and hope to be a resource for new students. Pathfinders are a diverse group of students that range in classification and majors that will allow new students to connect and provide peer to peer encouragement.

All events are optional, and students can choose which events they would like to participate in. A comprehensive schedule of events, campus map and campus resources can all be found on the Blazer Welcome website (uab.edu/blazerwelcome) as well as on the UAB mobile application available in the App Store and Google Play.