Photo by Brent Eades, courtesy of Creative Commons
Alexandra Mosquera Netzkarsch / Staff Writer
Now that the winter break is over, it is time to welcome a new semester at BBC with the “Welcome Week” event series.
“Welcome Week” for the spring semester will kick off with “Food by the Bay” on Monday, Jan. 6. FIU Campus Life has partnered up with Aramark to bring in three different types of food trucks available to FIU students on site. The food trucks will be outside Academic Center I from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Each student will receive a $5 voucher which can be reimbursed either at one of the three food trucks or inside the food court. The vouchers will be valid only for Monday.
According to Andrés Bermeo, marketing coordinator at campus life at BBC, the theme for this year’s events is the beach.
“Each year we have different themes,” said Bermeo. There will be also many giveaways throughout the day.
Later on Monday, the Student Programming Council will be hosting, “Dancing with the Wolfe,” which will offer salsa and bachata dancing lessons at the Recreation Center. This event starts at noon and it is free of charge.
The next big event of the week is the “Involvement and Volunteer Fair,” which is sponsored in conjunction by the Center for Leadership and Service, Campus Life and Student Organizations Council. This event will take place on Tuesday, Jan. 7, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the AC I and AC II buildings.
According to Bermeo, at this event student clubs and all the departments at school are invited to show their involvement at BBC.
There will be be approximately 30 clubs and departments recruiting students at this event.
Wednesday’s big event at BBC is the Golden Panther Brunch, from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the Wolfe University Center ballrooms.
“It´s a good way for the BBC community to start the day,” Bermeo said.
Flyer courtesy of BBC Campus Life
Aside from the free food, students will receive free shirts at this event. The food available will be a full breakfast meal that students with a valid FIU ID will be able to enjoy.
According to Bermeo, the Golden Panther Brunch will be decorated to show Panther pride.
“There will be a warm and welcoming atmosphere at this event,” said Bermeo. The decoration will show the FIU colors and the whole theme will be “very FIU” Bermeo said.
According to Bermeo, Mr. and Miss FIU will make an appearance and serve food at this event.
Later on Wednesday, the Student Programming Council will be hosting another session of “Dancing with the Wolfe” with free belly dancing lessons from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Recreation Center.
To finish up “Welcome Week” at BBC, The Recreation Center at BBC in partnership with the Student Triathlon Club FIU at BBC organized the “Splash and Dash.”
This event consists of a combination race by foot and kayak, where students, faculty and staff can participate. Each team will consist of two people and there will be a total of eleven teams.
The race will take place on Thursday, Jan. 9, and will start at 11 a.m. at the Bay Area by the Aquatics.
Elizabeth Crissien, the assistant race director at the recreation department at BBC said,“The ‘Splash and Dash’ is just one of the many events our Recreation department and the Triathlon Club helps put on to raise money for our FIU BBC Recreation Scholarship.”
The kayak race will start from the Kovens Center, the participants will race across the bay, and come back to the beach area behind the aquatic center, then put away their kayaks on the bay side.
Each team is required to put away their kayak properly before they move on to run, which will be the last part of the race.
Christina Reddick, the coordinator of the recreation center, said this event “should encourage students to work as a team and to also work on communication skills.”
The recreation center also requires that both team members finish the race together. First, second and third place winners will receive trophies.
“To get the rhythm together will be challenging for the participants but it will be fun,” Reddick said.
Participants must register their two-person team at the front desk of the BBC recreation center before the event.
Everyone is welcome to watch the race and T-shirts and food will be provided for all participants.
“Students get to see what a great campus this is and they also learn about what free activities we have available to them,” Crissien said.
The “Splash and Dash” is an opportunity for students to find out more about the kayaking events that will be held later this semester by the BBC Recreation Center.
“This race also brings together another program we have open to the student which is our kayaking trips. I think this is a great way for students to start this semester,” Crissien said.
–life@fiusm.com
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