SIUE’s Meg Wertin (left) and Tony Meyer (right) from the Office of the Registrar answer questions from Vikram Gill, international first-year student from India.EDWARDSVILLE – Southern Illinois University Edwardsville kicked off the new academic year with enthusiasm and excitement as students started their first day of classes Monday, Aug. 21. The SIUE community came alive with students, faculty, and staff reconnecting and embarking on another year of learning and growth.

“The buzz around campus on the first day of class is electric,” said Miriam Roccia, interim vice chancellor for student affairs. “New and returning students are eager to get the new academic year underway, meet their classmates, faculty, and find their classrooms.”

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Faculty and staff volunteers were stationed around campus with “Ask Me” signs eager to answer questions, give directions, and provide help.

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Monday also kicks off the Cougar Welcome, a two-week stretch of events to connect students to the SIUE campus and its resources. Events include resource and volunteer fairs, affinity celebrations, game nights, an ice cream social and more.

“Cougar Welcome will spotlight ways that students, both new and returning, can connect with one another both on and off campus,” Roccia added. “Cougar Welcome culminates with the Bronze Boot game on Saturday, Sept. 2 when SIUE's soccer teams battle Saint Louis University at CITYPARK. Events like these provide opportunities for students to strengthen their connections."

For a full list of events visit siue.edu/kimmel/events/cougar-welcome.

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville provides students with a high-quality education that powerfully transforms the lives of all individuals who seek something greater. A premier metropolitan university, SIUE is creating social and economic mobility for individuals while also powering the workforce of the future. Built on the foundation of a broad-based liberal education, and enhanced by hands-on research and real-world experiences, the academic preparation SIUE students receive equips them to thrive in the global marketplace and make our communities better places to live. Situated on 2,660 acres of beautiful woodland atop the bluffs overlooking the natural beauty of the Mississippi River’s rich bottomland and only a short drive from downtown St. Louis, the SIUE campus is home to a diverse student body of more than 12,500.

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