Welcome Week is your prime time for reaching out to new students and inviting them to participate in your Small and Large Groups. Here are some activities that campus ministries have used successfully.
Host welcome events at the campus ministry center; invite those who attend to sign up.
- Freshmen pizza party
- Welcome back barbecue
- House parties held at students’ apartments
- Block parties held outside Chapel or ministry center
Advertise the welcome events and Small Groups:
- with posters all over campus by chalking sidewalks all over campus.
- in all campus orientation booklets given to incoming students.
- by having tables wherever possible:
- in plazas on campus
- in dorm cafeterias
- outside of dorms during move-in
- at student union
- at campus student involvement fairs, etc.
- on campus with personable and outgoing students passing out brochures
- at all masses on campus
- have an enthusiastic person (preferably a student) give a testimony at all the masses to promote
- have sign-up during announcements or after mass.
- by going door-to-door in the residence halls (if this is permissible) to invite students. Leave a brochure/flyer/schedule of the small groups.
- on your Web site. If you have Web-savvy help, set up an online sign-up!