Freshmen had the chance to meet leading faculty from their respective colleges last Thursday as part of the Freshman Welcome Week. Deans and many of UTM’s teachers gathered at the Elam Center for the College Cookout, complete with grilled beef brisket.

Helping himself to a plate of home-style food, Jim Byford, dean of the College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences, said, “I think it’s a great idea and I’m impressed with brisket. It looks like a good-looking group of freshmen coming in, and I’m looking forward to the new year.”

By having students sit with their college, they got an opportunity to meet their future teachers, secretaries, advisers and leadership.

Nick Mounts, a freshman Theater major from Centerville, was initially skeptical about coming to the Freshman Welcome Week activities. With the College Cookout, along with other activities, he said he feels more at ease.

“I was actually impressed that most of the PEP leaders actually seemed to care about us, and I’ve made a lot more friends than I thought I would,” Mounts said.

“[UTM] is big enough to be diverse and be who you want to be, but if there’s a problem I know I could find help,” he said. Mounts said he hopes to get involved with the Vanguard Theatre as the semester progresses.

Mattie Davenport of White House is a Secondary Education major. She also said that she was mostly pleased with the activities of the week and particularly of college life in general.

Davenport said, “It’s really cool living here because I’m really not used to anyone asking me where I’m going. I’m an only child, so this is really weird.”

Other events took place last week to make the incoming class feel at home, including presentations about UTM departments, motivational talks from provocative speakers, Freshman Central in the UC to answer questions and more.

Students were divided into groups based on interests, led by PEP (Peer Enabling Program) leaders. This year’s theme was “The sky is the limit … dream big.”