University of Arkansas Fayetteville - Razorback Yearbook (Fayetteville, AR)

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24 Student Life AtLkY Vw YW

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corninghome Homecoming festivities unite students and alumni with strong sense of spirit and tradition As UA alumni gathered in Fay- etteville for the annual Homecom¬ ing game, they showed that there truly was “no place like home.” The theme for the 2004 Home¬ coming - “Nothing Runs Like a Razorback” - embodied the pride of the students, faculty and alumni at the University of Arkansas. Eighty-two years of Homecom¬ ing pride ensured that each year’s celebration remained full of tradi¬ tion. The Student Alumni Board Homecoming Committee took on the task of organizing the week’s activities leading up to the Arkan- sas-Georgia game, in conjunction with the Arkansas Alumni Asso¬ ciation and various other Regis¬ tered Student Organizations. Festivities kicked off at the be¬ ginning of the week with a “Gril¬ lin’ the Dawgs” cookout in front of the Arkansas Union. Greek hous¬ es and residence halls competed in the “Sty’lize Your Lawn” contest, and eighty-four teams competed in the annual “Pig Skin Classic” flag football tournament. On the Thursday before the big game, the “Pig Pen Party” was held at George’s, as Arkansas’ most out¬ rageous fans competed for the ulti¬ mate title of the “Rowdy Fan.” Not all of the Homecoming events were about celebrating the Hogs. Homecoming also includ¬ ed a philanthropic cause, as 264 units of blood were donated to the American Red Cross through a campus-wide blood drive. The week culminated Friday with the annual “Hog Stampede Parade,” with members from 36 organizations riding floats down Dickson Street, despite the rain that eventually caused the cancel¬ lation of the scheduled pep rally. Drenched by the chilly downpour, cheerleaders, representatives from the Greek Houses and Residence Halls, the Homecoming Court and Tusk proudly marched in the parade. At halftime of the game, alumni cheerleaders and band members were present as the Homecoming Court was escorted across the field. The 2004 Homecoming Court was: Queen Megan Cardwell and her court, Rebekah Davis, Jamie Fotioo, Alexis Hurdle and Mar- lena Sweeney. “What an experience to walk down the 50-yard line in Donald W. Reynolds Stadium in front of around 70,000 people while repre¬ senting a university that means so much to you,” Jamie Fotioo said. Fotioo, whose mother was on the court in 1972, valued the tra¬ dition and honor of being nomi¬ nated for the 2004 court. “The University of Arkansas has a focus on tradition and pride,” Fo¬ tioo said. “I think the largest part of Homecoming Week concerns gathering alumni and current stu¬ dents together to celebrate the great institution that is the UA.” Although the Razorbacks fell to the Bulldogs 20-14, Razorback spirit remained visible across cam¬ pus. And the enthusiastic alumni showed students that neither time nor age would diminish the pride and spirit of a true Razorback. Coming Home 23 Carolyn Finnie

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As part of the ROCK Camp ses¬ sion, freshmen take part in a rafting trip on the Illinois River. The rafting trip was one of the many activities designed to help students meet one an¬ other before move-in day in August. Courtesy Photo ROCK Camp provides chance for new students to meet others and adjust to college life Carolyn Finnie Being accepted to college was no easy task. And even more dif¬ ficult were the challenges facing incoming freshmen once they ar¬ rived: meeting new people, adjust¬ ing to the freedom and finding a balance between school and play. ROCK Camp, a division within the First Year Experience program, was designed to help incoming students become acclimated to the college lifestyle. ROCK Camp, which stands for Razorback Outreach for Commu¬ nity Knowledge, was founded in 2002 in response to the student re¬ tention problem between first- and second-year students. The UA’s goal of raising the retention per¬ centage was focused around FYE. FYE looked at model programs across the country and developed ROCK Camp as an opportunity to reach out to new students. As a result, the UA’s retention rate had increased 15 percent. Although the first ROCK Camp trip in 2002 drew only 67 students, approximately 500 students at¬ tended the camps that took place in two sessions prior to the begin¬ ning of the 2004 fall semester, on Aug. 10 and 11 and Aug. 20 and 21 in Welling, Okla. Most stu¬ dents were incoming freshmen; however, the program was open to transfer students, as well. “Over time, FYE would like to serve the whole freshman class.” said senior Kelsey Bunker, assis¬ tant director of ROCK Camp. At ROCK Camp, students learned tips for having a success¬ ful college experience through a series of lectures on stress, time management and career choices and presentations by motivational speakers. Their experiences during the two-day sessions also gave new students the opportunity to learn about the UA tradition. Students also participated in a rafting trip on the Illinois River. “Some students aren’t success¬ ful their first year in college, and Rock Camp provides an oppor¬ tunity to interact not only with other incoming students but also with faculty and upperclassmen to help and inform the students,” said Shailen Singh, associate director of FYE and ROCK Camp. The most challenging obstacles students learned to overcome at ROCK Camp were “the transi¬ tion of leaving your home and the shock of coming into interacting with others,” Bunker said. “Not only can students build friendships with other incom¬ ing students but also learn inside tricks to being successful,” Singh said. “Students can develop rela¬ tionships and learn traditions, in¬ stilling a sense of pride in being a Razorback.” Beyond the ROCK Camp ex¬ perience, FYE also offered classes as electives to freshmen. These classes were taught by professors throughout the campus’ colleges and departments. They were de¬ signed as a means of offering as¬ sistance throughout new students’ first year at the UA, building on the foundations that were laid at ROCK Camp. Core elements included time management and health. As the size of the incoming class grew each year, FYE helped to en¬ sure a successful transition for all. Boosting Success 25 boosting SUCCeSS