{"id":73691,"date":"2026-01-08T11:59:28","date_gmt":"2026-01-08T16:59:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.utc.edu\/news\/?p=73691"},"modified":"2026-01-16T17:27:46","modified_gmt":"2026-01-16T22:27:46","slug":"winter-welcome-week-rings-in-the-new-semester","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.utc.edu\/news\/2026\/01\/winter-welcome-week-rings-in-the-new-semester\/","title":{"rendered":"Winter Welcome Week rings in the new semester"},"content":{"rendered":"

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New and returning students at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga are heading back to campus for the spring semester with opportunities to connect during the 2026 Winter Welcome Week.<\/p>\n

The week of festivities will begin Monday, Jan. 12\u2014when students start classes\u2014and continue through Friday, Jan. 16.<\/p>\n

Hannah Turcotte, assistant director of the Center for Student Leadership, Engagement and Community, helped organize event activities.<\/p>\n

\u201cWinter Welcome Week is an opportunity for both returning students to come back to campus and just delve right back into engagement opportunities,\u201d Turcotte said. \u201cBut it\u2019s also for students joining us this semester to get a taste of the UTC experience.\u201d<\/p>\n

For students interested in getting involved with on-campus student organizations, the Winter Organization Fair is Thursday, Jan. 15. Turcotte said that anywhere from 40 to 60 of the campus\u2019 160-plus student-run organizations will be present.<\/p>\n

\u201cSome of our fraternity and sorority life groups, club sports, special interest groups, governance groups, faith-based organizations, organizations from all of the different categories \u2026 sign up to be present,\u201d she said. \u201cThey\u2019re definitely there looking for new members to share opportunities that they have coming up.\u201d<\/p>\n

The week will include opportunities for incoming transfer students to learn more about campus, including a Transfer Meet-Up: Make a Button and Mingle on Monday, Jan. 12.<\/p>\n

\u201cTypically in the spring, we do have more transfer students joining us\u2014and more nontraditional students,\u201d Turcotte said. \u201cWe want to make sure there are activities that those students can see themselves in and make sure that they have something that sounds fun and engaging for them.\u201d<\/p>\n

There will also be multiple evening events for students who can\u2019t be on campus during the day, she said, including Game Night at the Mocs Recovery Lounge, which will take place from 5:30-8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 14, at Stacy Town Center.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe want a variety of times that really do cater to anyone\u2019s schedule,\u201d Turcotte said. \u201cThe goal definitely for the Welcome Week calendar is to provide a lot of different opportunities in terms of style of event and time. No matter who is on campus, they can find a way to get involved.\u201d<\/p>\n

The premier late-night event and conclusion to 2026 Winter Welcome Week will be Friday, Jan. 16, with a Dinner and a Show featuring comedian and magician Trent James.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe collect feedback from our students on an annual basis to see what type of activities they want to participate in,\u201d she said, \u201cand things like comedy and magic shows are always a real hit.\u201d<\/p>\n

Turcotte hopes students attend to connect on campus.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s just a great engagement opportunity so that students have a warm welcome back to campus and can kick off the semester in a really positive way,\u201d she said. \u00a0<\/p>\n

Winter Welcome Week calendar:<\/h4>\n

Monday, Jan. 12<\/p>\n