MORGANTOWN — Incoming freshmen got the rundown on what it means to be a Mountaineer Monday night at Milan Puskar Stadium. Freshmen from all corners of campus filed into the stands for the Monday Night Lights program, highlighting the beginning of their careers at WVU.
President Gordon Gee, sporting his famous bowtie, started the evening welcoming the new students to their new home as Mountaineers.
“You have made this university better just by coming here,” he said.
He told them their job is to have fun, have a great academic experience and, most importantly, love West Virginia.
The students watched several short videos discussing values and what it means to be
a Mountaineer. Service, accountability and being respectful were among the talking points, and Provost Joyce McConnell then made remarks from the field.
“Welcome to this amazing family. This is a place where those values get applied every day. We live them every minute,” McConnell said.
She said it’s amazing to live in a place where those values are lived every day. She asked if people were finding their way around campus and mentioned the service projects that have been a part of Welcome Week.
“I just want to welcome you here, your future starts now, and we are your family,” she said.
The famous bearded mascot also took to Mountaineer Field. Trevor Kiess, the current Mountaineer, lead the students in the “Let’s Go Mountaineers” cheer and taught them WVU’s cheer for when the Mountaineers get a first down, preparing them for cheering at upcoming football games.
“This is the start of the best four years of your entire life,” he said.
The Pride of West Virginia Marching Band then found its way onto the field, putting on its longstanding pre-game field show. The band played several songs, and students sang along to the ever-so-popular unofficial West Virginia anthem, “Country Roads.”
The band stood in formation in the shape of the state of West Virginia with incoming students filling the inside — commemorating the incoming class of 2022 with its first class picture.
Welcome Week events are slated for the remainder of the week, with FallFest tonight and undergraduate classes starting Wednesday.
