Welcome Weekend hosts the newest Lancers

Riverside, Calif. (Sept. 6, 2021) – It was more than just the heat that gave the newest Lancers a warm welcome as they arrived at California Baptist University for Welcome Weekend, Sept. 3-5. CBU faculty, staff and student leaders received about 2,000 freshmen and transfer students arriving for the start of the fall semester at CBU.

CBU hosted international students on Sept. 1-2 and students who commute on Sept. 3. Residential freshmen and transfer students moved in on Sept. 3. The weekend is a CBU tradition that helps new students get connected to campus resources and each other. 

“Welcome Weekend is designed to connect new students to each other, to our beautiful campus and ultimately to Christ,” said Emily Culmer, program coordinator for new student programs in Community Life. “By the first day of class, we want our new students to feel like they belong to our campus community as a member of the Lancer family.”

Move-in kicked off the weekend. As students arrived with vehicles full of luggage, student volunteers lined up beside the living areas to help with move in. They unloaded vehicles, filled rolling bins with bedding, clothes and other items and pushed them to the rooms.

Other events on Friday included an Academic Open House & Involvement Fair, where the newcomers connected with deans, faculty members and Student Services offices. That was followed by the Kick-Off that provided more information about the campus and highlighted Athletics.

Ethan Britton, from Grand Rapids, Michigan, said he chose CBU because he wanted to branch out. He looked forward to meeting other students and the nicer weather in Southern California.

“I really like the kinesiology program. I'm really excited to start in my field,” Britton said. “And I'm excited about meeting new people and being surrounded by a bunch of Christ followers like myself.”

Amanda Barrier, a photography freshman, said she chose CBU after doing research and walking down Palm Drive on campus.

“I found that nowhere else really like felt as much as home like CBU does,” Barrier said. “I'm excited mostly about becoming more independent, but also about joining a community and being able to hang out with a bunch of believers my age.” 

Additional weekend activities included students meeting their First-Year Experience groups, which help acclimate students to campus life. SL Welcome Night provided worship, the gospel message, and a student-led panel on how Spiritual Life helped them grow spiritually. Sunday night featured a movie, “Cruella,” on the Front Lawn along with food trucks.