Written by Alaina Wolf and Tiane Davis // Photo provided by UCM
The move-in weekend that prepares incoming Harding students for life on campus is finding a new home as a part of Campus Life. Stampede will no longer be confined to a three-day weekend event, but will be a year-long resource available to first- year students transitioning into the college lifestyle. Campus Life is more than ready as they are already deep in preparation for the students’ arrival in August.
The Director of Campus Life, Jane Chandler, said she is determined to better voice the needs and wants of students on campus, along with prospective students. Chandler said she believes placing Stampede under the umbrella of Campus Life will make more sense for everyone involved.
“At the end of the day, we’re here for students,” Chandler said. “Stampede is about meeting people and connecting and building relationships.”
Stampede was previously under First Year Experience in the University College. Logan Light, assistant dean of Campus Life and Chapel Programs, said FYE is no longer one office and is now “spread out to share responsibilities” with offices like Campus Life.
“There was a time when the First Year Experience program and Campus Life were integrated completely, so I think there is a natural fit for Stampede within campus life,” Light said. “Both Stampede and Campus Life are important for the new student experience.”
Light said Campus Life has been planning activities for students and Stampede for a long time, and Stampede can easily fit in with the work that has already been done.
“It’s a kick off to the year, and Campus Life will approach that well,” Light said. “Of course, Stampede has contributions from all across campus, so Campus life being at the helm also helps with the organization that requires as well.”
Campus Life employs multiple students and gives them an outlet for creativity and event planning. Light said more opportunities for student involvement and development is always better.
“Giving our students a platform for their ideas and a way to execute them can lead to great things,” Light said.
The rebranding of Stampede to be one with Campus Life could also not be done without the Campus Life Student Director junior Lexi Earnhart, who has been working and brainstorming alongside Chandler on rebranding Stampede.
Earnhart explained how Campus Life is organizing events to be more cohesive with the entire year planned and years to come.
“We’re excited to streamline a lot of things and make it more synonymous,” Earnhart said. “I think we’ve done a good job this semester of really showing everyone that Campus Life has rebranded and become a prominent figure on campus.”
Energy Group Leaders will now be called First Year Guides, and students who want to apply for this position are no longer required to pay to be involved as they have in the past.
Additionally, Student Coordinator positions are the new name for Stampede co-directors, who were initially required to live in Searcy during the summer.
Senior Abbey Hackett said she is eager to engage freshman students with the Harding community as she will be the Director of Creative Content for Campus Life after her graduation in May. Hackett emphasized that move-in weekend is a vital part of being introduced to all things Harding and that students have the opportunity to make friends from a variety of backgrounds and potential majors.
“Campus Life is known to plan and execute fun events where people from all social circles interact, so incorporating this into the move-in weekend of school will allow incoming students to already be making new friends,” Hackett said. “It provides these incoming students with a team of friendly faces that they will see at campus activities going forward.”
Junior Wesley Lamberson said he looks forward to the new season that Campus Life has to offer as Harding enters the next centennial and the positive effects it will have on incoming students.
“I think this will encourage a community on campus that the freshmen will get to experience from day one and will be able to carry along with them once school starts and the rest of campus is able to join,” Lamberson said. “I think it will also be encouraging during the school year for freshmen to be able to go find a familiar face in the campus life office of someone that first introduced you to Harding.”
