KU CONNECTION

Hawk Week kicks off new school year

Jayhawk Spirit soared even higher than the temperatures during Hawk Week.

More than 2,000 students attended the Ice Cream Social, hosted by the Student Alumni Association and KU Alumni Association. The social kicked off Hawk Week and an exciting new school year. Jayhawks enjoyed free ice cream, a scavenger hunt inside the Adams Alumni Center, free Jayhawk tattoos, prizes, pictures with the Jayhawk and much more.

After cooling down with some ice cream, about 5,000 students headed to Memorial Stadium to take part in Traditions Night, an annual celebration since 1984. New Jayhawks learned the Rock Chalk Chant and the Alma Mater from Ellen Stolle, Leawood senior and president of the Student Alumni Association. Click here to see a few snapshots from the Ice Cream Social and Traditions Night events.

Some other highlights of Hawk Week included Convocation at the Lied Center and even personal class schedule tours, where orientation assistants showed new students how to find their classes.

Hawk Week is organized by the Office of New Student Orienation and the Hawk Week committee, which includes representatives from the KU Alumni Association, Office of Multicultural Affairs, Student Housing, the Center for Community Outreach and other campus entities.

Along with the fun-filled events of Hawk Week, students were also welcomed to the Hill with a gift from the Alumni Association. We placed "Welcome to the Family" booklets—full of KU tidbits, traditions and timeless advice—in the residence and scholarship hall rooms of 4,000 new 'Hawks. Download your own booklet here.