NVC faculty, staff and student volunteers plus representatives of GM Financial and Nationwide enthusiastically greeted students during the start of classes for the fall semester as part of Wildcat Days 2017.
Although the welcome event was postponed one day because of weather concerns, volunteers adjusted their schedules, braved wind gusts and helped NVC students find their way to a class, the bookstore, the library and other campus locations.
Sponsorship for this event was provided by GM Financial and Nationwide. On both mornings, GM Financial staff gave away free t-shirts to students who stopped by, talked with students about career opportunities at the company and displayed a new GMC Acadia parked in front of the Cypress Campus Center. Nationwide supported the two-day event with volunteers who helped at the Juniper and Redbud Learning Center station as well as a large supply of drawstring bags, cups and drink holders for students.
More than 146 volunteers wearing blue “Ask Me” shirts distributed maps, planners, pens and pencils, lanyards, chargers, notepads, pencil sharpeners, fidget spinners and other helpful NVC items as part of Wildcat Days on Tuesday and Wednesday, Aug. 29 and 30. This year, the number of stations jumped to six with the addition of tables near Juniper and the Boardwalk. Other campus buildings with stations included Palmetto Center for the Arts and Cypress Campus Center, Pecan Hall, Live Oak Hall, Juniper and Redbud Learning Center and Manzanillo and Mountain Laurel halls.
Most frequently heard comments over the two-day welcome ranged from “Where is RLC” to “Where do I get my ID” to “What’s the most important thing to do on the first day of class”. Special highlights of the event included free popcorn and drinks at Pecan Hall and a photo station promoting graduation at the Cypress Campus Center and Palmetto Center for the Arts table.
The Wildcat Days Leadership Team helped recruit volunteers for the event and included Nakotah Terburg, Debra Perales, June Pedraza, Susan Palmer, Heather McCreery, Vicki Lynton, Cynthia Grandt, Amanda Gorrell, Steven Gonzales, Erica Arcos and Laura Alvarez.
Cynthia Rosas and Robert Tuck led a team of IT staff who developed the volunteer registration website for the event. The Resource Management Team coordinated the distribution of t-shirts and water delivery to volunteers. The two-day event was organized by the Community Development Department.
