Stampede Week Welcomes First Year Students

Campus has been abuzz with incoming students this week as they learn about HSU traditions and make new friends during Stampede. Every year, the Steering Committee plans something new to bring students together for a memorable experience.

Including All Students

Stampede move-in

This year, Emma Dantzler ’21, planned activities specifically for athletes, commuters, and transfers. In past years, these groups often felt left out of the fun, but Dantzler’s job was to include them in Stampede events and make them feel welcome. As Student Experience Coordinator, Dantzler planned a commuter dinner, a transfer lunch, and an athletic mentor program.

At the commuter dinner on Monday, Dantzler introduced the commuter lounge. “We wanted to give them a place of their own since they don’t have a dorm room to go back to,” she said.

The transfer lunch told students about resources available to them, from tutoring to counseling. The athletic mentorship program is similar to First-Year Seminar mentorship. Upperclassmen in each sport encourage first-year students to attend Stampede events and help them with other questions.

“I want to make sure that nobody in these groups is left out,” she said. “We want them to feel included.”

A commuter herself, Dantzler only attended Stampede for half of the week during her freshman year. “When there was downtime, I went home,” she said. “It definitely impacted how I started my freshman year.”

Dantzler said she applied to be a part of Stampede her sophomore and junior years after seeing the Steering Committee have fun onstage. “I thought, ‘That’s something I want to do.’ Now that I’m a part of it, it’s a dream come true,” she said. Now Dantzler hopes to help students have a better experience at Stampede than she did as a freshman.

Stampede opening assembly games

A Rich Tradition

This year’s schedule of events included many yearly favorites: the traditions assembly, color initiation, and campus tag. Later this week will be a movie at the Paramount, HSU Rocks, paint wars, beanie capping, and the alumni ice cream social. All alumni are invited to attend the ice cream social on Saturday from 7:00-8:30 p.m. to sign first-year students’ beanies.

Stampede also included new events, including Late Night on the Lawn, which began last year, intramural tournaments at the fitness center, and College 1301, an introduction to college success. This year, Stampede began a day earlier, giving students more time for activities and free time.

Late Night on the Lawn

Student Perspectives

Freshman Raychel Anderle said that she appreciates being in a small group so that she is not overwhelmed by too many people. “I can’t wait to start classes and get involved here,” said Anderle, a psychology major from Rotan. “I’m excited to be a part of this family.”

Kylie Ricketts, a freshman elementary education major from Lubbock, said she has enjoyed learning how things work on campus and meeting new people in her Stampede group.

DJ Carter, a freshman exercise science major from Benbrook, Texas, said his favorite part of Stampede so far has been meeting new people at the Late Night on the Lawn event.

A freshman social work major from San Antonio, Alexis Perez said she has enjoyed hanging out with other students and learning where everything is located on campus.

Cameron Wilson, a freshman art major from Josephine, Texas, said that she has enjoyed the games and bonding with people in her group. She also enjoyed learning about HSU traditions like Dam-it the dog.