Millikin kicks off academic year with First Week Aug. 18 – 23, Move-In Day Aug. 18

[August 17, 2015]  DECATUR  – First-year students at Millikin University will get a jump start on their college experience during Millikin's 2015 First Week program, Aug. 18-23, 2015.

First Week is designed for first-year students to become acclimated and immersed in their new Millikin home before classes begin on Monday, Aug. 24. The First Week experience teaches students what is expected in the college environment and how to best engage in the Millikin community to ensure success.

First Week activities begin with Move-In Day for residential students on Tuesday, Aug. 18, starting at 9 a.m.

An integral part of the First Week experience is the First-Year University Seminar. University Seminar is intended to be a unique learning opportunity for first-year students entering Millikin University. The seminar introduces students to college-level academic inquiry by focusing on two key skills: critical and ethical reasoning, and reflection.
 

In addition, University Seminar blends theory and practice by engaging students in service learning and by addressing specific student success topics. The seminar also provides an opportunity for first-year students to make important connections with faculty members and First-Year Experience Mentors.

First Week will also feature Performance Learning workshops on Friday, Aug. 21. Throughout the workshops, students will learn the various Performance Learning opportunities within the Colleges of Arts & Sciences, Fine Arts, Professional Studies and Tabor School of Business.

A highlight of the week's activities will be the Class of 2019 Day of Action. Day of Action is Millikin's opportunity to give back to the Decatur community by sending students into the neighborhoods for service opportunities. This year's Day of Action features two days of service initiatives on Friday, Aug. 21, and Saturday, Aug. 22. Students will be involved with service activities from 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. each day.

This year, Millikin will be combining with the United Way's Day of Action to perform services at several sites including the Decatur Fire Department, Dennis Elementary Lab School, Tanglewood Village and Easter Seals of Central Illinois.

The week concludes with Opening Convocation on Sunday, Aug. 23, at 7:30 p.m. in Kirkland Fine Arts Center, where Millikin faculty and students gather to celebrate the beginning of the academic year. The program will feature keynote speakers Dr. Jennifer Schroeder, Millikin associate professor of biology, and Jared Rixstine, a senior music performance and political science double major from Washington, Ill.

For more information on First Week, contact the Millikin Office of Inclusion and Student Engagement at 217.424.6335. For a full list of First Week activities, visit millikin.edu/ise.

[Media Relations, Millikin University]