Purdue Northwest welcomes back the Pride with campus rallies

August 18, 2021

Purdue University Northwest (PNW) enthusiastically welcomes its student population back with a fall semester kickoff including two Welcome Rallies.

As classes begin Aug. 23, the rallies, hosted Aug. 24 at the Westville  campus and Aug. 26 at the Hammond campus, are both slated 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Westville’s rally will be hosted in the campus’s central plaza* and the Hammond rally will take place in Founders Plaza. A Power Onward parade, organized by the Office of Student Life, will march through the campus buildings ahead of the start of each rally, calling all to attend the in-person celebrations. Besides meeting old and new peers, students also have an opportunity to gather information on available campus resources and discover more about the 80+ student organizations.

* Update: Due to forecast heat and rain, we have moved the Westville rally indoors within the Dworkin Student Services and Activities Complex.

The Pride is encouraged to “explore their roar” as the university enters a key milestone academic year in its 5-75 celebration. PNW’s Welcome Rallies mark just the beginning of a year filled with student and faculty-led programs recognizing the school’s foundational Purdue Calumet and Purdue North Central institutions, and the bright future as PNW “roars ahead.”

The public is invited to join students, faculty and staff, and families moving their students into PNW’s apartment-style residence halls at the Purdue Northwest Police Department’s fourth annual Cookout with a Cop, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 20. Stop by University Village, behind Peregrine Hall on PNW’s Hammond campus, to enjoy a free mid-day barbecue meal.

Beyond the Welcome Rallies, students can look forward to other fun engagement during the first several weeks of the semester, such as participating in the Roaring Ahead Scavenger Hunt starting Aug. 23, a welcome picnic and an evening celebration complete with a bonfire and s’mores.

The public is welcome to join at a pair of upcoming fall events. The Fall Sports Festival from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sept. 19 at Dowling Park in Hammond features five Pride sports in action, and the annual Pride Stride 5K color run/walk rolls through the Westville campus Oct. 7. Registration details for the Pride Stride will be released soon.

Faculty were welcomed back beginning Aug. 16 and are participating in a three-day Power Onward Conference. A series of engaging educational sessions present PNW’s faculty and staff members the resources and ideas to start strong following an academic year full of unparalleled adjustments.

***News media interested in attending either of our Welcome Rallies are asked to reach out to our Marketing and Communications contacts below to indicate interest in news coverage.***