You remember those childhood sleepovers—cool sleeping bags, lots of eating, laughing and maybe even a silly prank phone call, but for approximately 70 prospective students, Union Bulldog Days offer more than childhood reminiscence. Bulldog Days offer high school juniors and seniors an opportunity to stay overnight in residence life apartments, sample the food in the Brewer Dining Hall and interact with the Union community.
Rachel Taylor, special events/visit coordinator for the office of undergraduate admissions said an overnight visit provides one of the best ways to see Union up close.
“On paper, you can tell them that Union is great,” she said. “But you can’t really see that if you’re not on campus.”
Prospective students checked in at the Grant Center and attended a welcome reception hosted by President Samuel W. “Dub” Oliver and faculty Friday.
From there, students had the option of attending classes and various information sessions, touring campus and attending chapel. Students gathered inside the Bowld Student Commons for dinner and met their overnight hosts.
“We want to better serve the student and give them a full college experience,” Taylor said.
The Unionite hopefuls were a mix of friends and siblings of current students and a few first-time visitors. Students and their parents traveled to campus from near and far. They represented at least 12 states across the U.S, as far east as Virginia and as far west as Colorado.
An overnight visit is the closest thing high school students have to a college test drive.
According to Taylor, many of the weekend’s visiting students already applied to Union and have been accepted. Others received a code for an online application.
“Wherever they are in the process, we want to push them forward,” she said. “Our end goal is to get them to come to Union.”
The next Bulldog Day will be in March. For more information, visit uu.edu/campusvisit.
