New Tradition at Big Red Welcome Aug. 20: Tunnel Walk

What Nebraska fan hasn't dreamed of doing the "Tunnel Walk"?

Incoming University of Nebraska-Lincoln students will become official Huskers at a Big Red Welcome event Aug. 20 when they are invited to do their own Tunnel Walk at Memorial Stadium. The event is the first in a weekend of welcome events at the traditional year-beginning Big Red Welcome at UNL. Other activities during the welcome weekend are dances, class-schedule tours, free movies, games, prizes and the opening student convocation with Chancellor Harvey Perlman.

The event is headed by the Office of Student Involvement with the idea of getting new students involved and connected on campus immediately after they move in this weekend.

An updated schedule of official Big Red Welcome events and other information for new UNL students is available at the Student Involvement Web site.

The academic highlight of Big Red Welcome weekend is the New Student Convocation at 4:30 p.m. Aug. 22 at the Lied Center for Performing Arts, 301 N. 12th St. Perlman, academic deans, alumni representatives and student leaders will encourage new students to "Engage, Connect and Balance" their way to a successful academic career at UNL as part of a new thematic campaign by the Office of Undergraduate Studies. The weekend ends with the annual street fair. Classes start Aug. 23.

Big Red Welcome Schedule:

FRIDAY, AUG. 20

-- Freshman Class Tunnel Walk at Memorial Stadium; meet at Gate 24, 6:45 p.m. A new tradition at UNL: Students become official Huskers as they enter Memorial Stadium just like the Husker football players do at home games - complete with the HuskerVision intro, the Cornhusker Marching Band playing and the spirit squad leading them on to the field.

-- UNL Marching Band Exhibition at Memorial Stadium, 7 p.m. Students will watch the UNL Marching Band as they show off their nationally renowned talents.

-- Pep Rally at Memorial Stadium, 7-8:30 p.m. Students can meet the coaches and student athletes of the Husker Nation, and learn the cheers and songs. The Pep Rally ends with the freshman class "Column Walk" to mark the official beginning of their time as a Husker.

-- Party at the Rec, Campus Recreation Center, 8:30-11:30 p.m. Free T-shirts and food, skate luge, contests and inflatables, sport club demos and free massages.

-- Midnight at the Movies at Star Ship 9, 13th & Q streets, midnight. Free movies (with student ID).

SATURDAY, AUG. 21

-- Class schedule tours, starting at Nebraska Union Crib, 1-3 p.m. Students can bring their class schedules and get help finding their way to their first classes.

-- Party at the Union, Nebraska Union, 9 p.m. Free concerts and shows inside the union; hot dogs, soda and giveaways on the Plaza.

-- UPC Concert: Head of Femur, 10:30 p.m., Nebraska Union.

-- Pancake breakfast and DJ dance on the Union Plaza, midnight. Faculty and staff feed students a great free breakfast on the Union Plaza while they dance the night away.

SUNDAY, AUG. 22

-- Class schedule tours, starting at Nebraska Union Crib, 1-3 p.m. Students can bring their class schedules and find how to get to classes.

-- New Student Convocation at the Lied Center, 4:30 p.m. The official welcome greeting from Chancellor Perlman. Students can hear inspiring messages from the academic team while being pepped up by the Cornhusker Marching Band and Lil' Red.

-- Big Red Welcome Street Fair, R Street in front of Nebraska Union, 6 p.m. Local vendors, campus organizations, free food - the entire community comes to welcome the new students.

Sponsors of Big Red Welcome are University Program Council, Wells Fargo, University Bookstore and Applied Underwriters. Campus partners are ASUN / Student Government, Athletic Department, Campus Recreation, Greek Affairs, Nebraska Unions, New Student Enrollment, NU Directions, Student Alumni Association, Student Involvement, University Dining Services, University Health Center, University Housing, UNL Marching Band and UNL Spirit Squad. Co-sponsors are Dell, Douglas Theatre Co., Gallup, KFRX, McDonald's, The Mill, Pepsi, P.O. Pears, Runza, Sam's Club, Target, Valentino's and Wingzone.

CONTACTS: Annette Wetzel, University Communications, (402) 472-8524;
Pat McBride, New Student Enrollment, (402) 472-8141; and
Tom Workman, Student Involvement, (402) 472-8155