Weeks of Welcome welcomes UTC students to the new academic year

Many people are standing on Chamberlain Field during the Oak Street Roast.

Chamberlain Field during the 2025 Oak Street Roast. Photo by Angela Foster.

The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga welcomes students back to campus with games, swag and plenty of free food.

Running Aug. 23 through Sept. 5, this year’s Weeks of Welcome expands UTC’s annual Welcome Week tradition with two weeks of department-hosted events across campus.

These events are open to all UTC students, whether first-time freshmen, returning to campus or transferring from another university.

Kicking off with the Oak Street Roast, which will be held Sunday, Aug. 23 from 6:30-9:30 p.m., Weeks of Welcome officially launches two weeks of celebration featuring food, music and a chance to meet fellow students.

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All events can be found on the Welcome Week calendar and the MocSync student engagement platform.

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This year at the Aquatic and Recreation Center, the annual Soundwaves Pool Party will feature a pirate theme on Monday, Aug. 24, from 7-10 p.m. Students can expect a lazy river voyage, a captain’s waterslide challenge, a live DJ, a treasure light show, a fleet of floating loot, buccaneer-themed dress-up and a galley grub-and-grog station (pizza and drinks).

On Wednesday, Aug. 26, staples such as Goat Yoga and the sensory-friendly Headphone Dance Party return to Chamberlain Field.

For transfer students and any students looking to upgrade their wardrobe, a new event called Transfer Your Threads: Bring Your Past, Wear Your Future offers an opportunity to trade in merchandise from other institutions for new UTC swag. It will take place at the Chamberlain Pavilion on Wednesday, Aug. 26, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The UTC Jones Observatory Open House: MOCs Under the Stars gives students a chance to learn about the building’s history, watch a free planetarium show and see UTC’s historic telescope Friday, Aug. 28, from 8-10 p.m.

For students still in outer space, from 8:30-11 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 3 on Chamberlain Field, Screen on the GREEN will feature “Project Hail Mary.”

During Weeks of Welcome, tryouts for the UTC Chamber Singers, Orpheus Chorale, Clarion Choral, Chattanooga Singers and Chamber Singers will be available. For club sports, tryouts for Lady Mocs Club Soccer and Club Baseball will also be held.

Weeks of Welcome will conclude Saturday, Sept. 5, when the Mocs football team takes on Tennessee Tech University in its home opener at Finley Stadium. For student ticket information, click here.