Class of 2019 invited to celebrate their OHIO journey during Senior Week
Members of Ohio University’s Class of 2019 are gearing up for graduation day, but before these Bobcats don their caps and gowns, it’s time for them to bask in their last days as OHIO students before claiming the title of OHIO alumni.
The OHIO Alumni Association and Student Alumni Board, in partnership with other campus offices, invite all May graduates to participate in Senior Week festivities, scheduled for April 22-26 on the Athens campus. A celebration of OHIO graduates’ achievements, Senior Week is an opportunity for Bobcats to relish in their home away from home while preparing for the next chapter in their lives.
“Senior Week is about rewarding our graduating seniors for all of the hard work that they’ve done,” said Brianna Agner, graduate assistant for campus relations at the OHIO Alumni Association. “They’ve earned the chance to relax and enjoy themselves before going through their final Ohio University finals.”
All Senior Week activities are free for graduating students, but some events require registration.
The OHIO Alumni Association will be hosting a Senior Week Open House from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday in the fifth-floor atrium of Baker University Center. Seniors can stop by for information on the Alumni Association and how to get involved in its chapters and societies, to decorate their graduation caps, to participate in the Senior T-shirt Trade-in (bring an old OHIO T-shirt to exchange for a new OHIO alumni T-shirt), and more. Seniors who bring a canned food item to donate to the Cats’ Cupboard will receive a free meal ticket for an OHIO dining hall.
OHIO’s Career and Leadership Development Center will be hosting drop-in hours from 11 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Monday through Friday on the fifth floor of Baker University Center, offering seniors the last chance as students to refine their resumes and talk about career planning with the center’s staff.
Other Senior Week festivities include:
Monday, April 22
Behind the Bricks Tour, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. – Meet in the fifth-floor atrium of Baker University Center for an OHIO Alumni Association-sponsored journey to some iconic locations on the Athens campus. Participants will learn about and get a behind-the-scenes look at places like Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium, Peden Stadium and the Convocation Center. Registration is required.
Dinner with 12 Strangers, 6 to 8 p.m., Restaurant Salaam – Held throughout the year to connect OHIO students with alumni, faculty and staff, this Dinner with 12 Strangers is planned especially for graduating seniors and will feature Vice President for Student Affairs Jason Pina. Registration is required.
Tuesday, April 23
Behind the Bricks Tour, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. – Meet in the fifth-floor atrium of Baker University Center for an OHIO Alumni Association-sponsored journey to some iconic locations on the Athens campus. Participants will learn about and get a behind-the-scenes look at places like Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium, Peden Stadium and the Convocation Center. Registration is required.
Professional Headshots, noon to 2 p.m., fifth-floor atrium of Baker University Center – The Career and Leadership Development Center will be providing a professional photographer and offering free headshots to graduating seniors. No registration required.
Dinner with 12 Strangers, 6 to 8 p.m., Restaurant Salaam – Held throughout the year to connect OHIO students with alumni, faculty and staff, this Dinner with 12 Strangers is planned especially for graduating seniors and will feature Jenny Hall-Jones, associate vice president for student affairs and dean of students. Registration is required.
Wednesday, April 24
Professional Headshots, noon to 2s p.m., fifth-floor atrium of Baker University Center – The Career and Leadership Development Center will be providing a professional photographer and offering free headshots to graduating seniors. No registration required.
Senior Night, 4 to 6 p.m., Jackie O’s Brewpub – The OHIO Alumni Association will be hosting a buffet-style dinner for graduating seniors, complete with one free drink ticket. Space is limited, and registration is required.
Throwback Thursday Concert, 5 p.m., Baker University Center Ballroom – OHIO’s University Program Council and Black Student Cultural Programming Board are teaming up again to present this annual end-of-the-year celebration, featuring Sean Kingston, a Jamaican-American singer, songwriter, rapper and record producer.
Thursday, April 25
Class of 2019 Senior Farewell, 6 to 8 p.m., Baker University Center Ballroom – All graduating seniors are invited to join the Campus Involvement Center for this free event, featuring your favorite uptown and campus eats, a cash bar (with ID) and free a champagne flute to the first 600 attendees. Glass will be distributed at 7 p.m. for a group toast to the Class of 2019.
Friday, April 26
Food Truck Friday, 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., South Green lawn and other locations – Get a taste of Athens from some of the community’s food trucks. Drop by the Senior Week Open House (10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday on the fifth floor of Baker University Center) for a voucher for food truck purchases.
“Graduation for some can seem like such a scary thing,” Agner said, “but Ohio University is always here and always welcomes its alumni back. Through these events, seniors can really get a chance to cherish how great the University really is.”
For more information on Senior Week, visit the Senior Week webpage.
Looking for a graduation gift for a member of OHIO’s Class of 2019? Check out these specials at The Bobcat Store.