(Above) New students participate in the traditional Saluki Sprint prior to the first home football game. (Below) Students enjoy s’mores at Light Up the Lake. (SIU Carbondale photos)
August 11, 2025
SIU welcomes students for 2025-26 school year with numerous events
CARBONDALE, Ill. — Salukis will get a big welcome as the fall semester kicks off at Southern Illinois University Carbondale.
The university will provide a myriad of special activities to help new and returning students get acquainted with campus, each other and the community as they also learn about available resources. Organizers say the goal of Saluki Startup and Weeks of Welcome is to help students start the semester off right.
“Saluki Startup and Weeks of Welcome — which we call WOW because that’s how students will feel — are filled with immersive, educational and exciting experiences,” said Jennifer Phillips, director of New Student Programs, which coordinates many of the activities. “Our goal is to make the transition to – or back to – campus as wonderful as possible as we provide interactive activities to connect students with one another and help them learn just how special SIU is.”
The excitement is already underway, and the fun continues through the end of August.
Dawg Days immerse new students in Saluki life and success
About 100 freshman and transfer students are enjoying the immersive Dawg Days New Student Retreat, which runs through Wednesday at SIU’s scenic Touch of Nature Outdoor Education Center.
Participants at the popular overnight program enjoy outdoor activities, games, networking events and much more as they build relationships, learn about Saluki traditions, people and the special support system SIU provides. More than 30 volunteer student staff counselors, all former participants, join the TON staff in leading the retreat that features activities such as a costume party, duct-tape dodgeball, broomball, group challenges, themed socials, archery and the giant swing.
Time to move in
Months of preparation by SIU faculty and staff will be apparent as students move in to various campus locales before classes start on Aug. 18. The official back-to-campus convergence begins Wednesday, Aug. 13, with new students and a select group of others checking into their new homes away from home. Returning students join them Friday, Aug. 15.
Numerous volunteers from campus and the community will be on hand to assist nearly 3,000 students and their families as they move in to University Housing facilities. All volunteers will have lanyards and name badges, ensuring they are easy to identify. According to Kendra Bumpus, director of University Housing and Residence Life, the volunteers provide significant, much-needed and appreciated assistance for the students and families as well as an opportunity for students to learn more about the campus and community organizations giving of their time.
Water stations will be available at various locations on move-in days, courtesy of University Housing. Wellness and Health Promotion Services will offer popsicles and water at pop-up tents.
All-you-care-to-eat meals will be available on move-in days at the reduced price of $9 at Lentz and Trueblood Halls, courtesy of University Housing. That includes Trueblood’s Mongolian-style grill. Pay at the door using debit or credit card or Debit Dawg.
Forging connections via Saluki Startup
Saluki Startup, geared especially toward new students, is set for Aug. 13-17, and filled with activities to help new and returning students get acquainted with one another and all things SIU. Information stations will offer maps, answers to questions and directions, and the university even offers Sweet Goodbyes that Wednesday for students and their families. The Saluki Family Association will provide complimentary sweet treats, including Honeybeez Snowballz.
Notable highlights of Saluki Startup include:
- Light up the Lake on Thursday as 1,000 or more students are drawn to Campus Lake/Becker Pavilion for an evening filled with “glowing” games and activities.
- The Saluki Kickoff Pep Rally on Friday at Saluki Stadium. Participants are invited to wear their Saluki gear as a class photo of the newcomers will be taken after the rally.
- The long-time favorite Dawgs Nite Out on Saturday at the Student Center. It’s the place to be for bingo, karaoke, vintage T-shirts, inflatables, laser tag, mini-golf, food, a photo booth and more.
- Chancellor’s Welcome Fest on the Shryock Auditorium lawn on Sunday, Aug. 17. Organizers say the fest will feature a “picnic in the park vibe” with tie-dye, yoga, a climbing wall, hammocks and some great refreshing treats.
Saluki Startup also includes academic showcases, classroom and campus tours, and first-year resident orientation. Find the complete schedule of events and details at salukistartup.siu.edu.
A big welcome back
The excitement continues during Weeks of Welcome, Aug. 18-31, as Salukis immerse themselves in SIU living. Notable events include:
- The Fall Involvement Fair at Faner Plaza, 5-7 p.m. Aug. 21. Students can meet representatives from more than 200 registered student organizations and explore countless ways to get involved.
- Taste of Carbondale, 4-6:30 p.m. Aug. 24 at the Wesley Foundation. Students can sample cuisine from a wide variety of local eateries, getting a “taste” of the yummy, eclectic fare available nearby.
- Belonging Week, set for Aug. 24-29, featuring a variety of special events to foster connections, inclusiveness and a community of belonging.
- The first home Saluki football game on Aug. 30 at 6 p.m. New students can partake in the tradition known as Saluki Sprint at 5:30 p.m., donning their new Saluki T-shirts for a “welcome to the Saluki family” run across the field at Saluki Stadium.
Dozens of other activities are on tap including game night, information stations, Ask-A-Librarian, tasty treats of all kinds, crafts, a bonfire, hikes, movies, open house at the HEROES Headquarters in the Student Center and the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute Aug. 26, tours of the Glenn Poshard Transportation Education Center, International Coffee Hours and more. Various colleges and academic units will also sponsor welcome-back events.
The full event schedule and additional information is available at wow.siu.edu.
Media Advisory
Reporters, photographers and news crews are welcome to cover many of SIU’s welcome-back events.
Opportune times to visit Dawg Days, underway through Aug. 13 at Touch of Nature, about 8 miles south of Carbondale off Giant City Road, include:
- Monday, Aug. 11, about 5-5:30 p.m. as Saluki Athletics and the Dawg Pound visit with the new Salukis.
- Tuesday, Aug. 12, when participants gather about 9:15 a.m. for a group photo.
- Tuesday, Aug. 12, at 6:30 p.m. as the adventure games begin with participants dividing into teams for head-to-head competition all around the camp.
- On Aug. 11 and 12 from noon to 1 p.m., SIU faculty and staff will join students for lunch and time to get acquainted.
For additional information about Dawg Days, contact Morgan Kruse, assistant director of campus programs, at 618-453-2906 or morgan.kruse@siu.edu.
You are also welcome to cover move-in, set for the following times and locations:
- Wednesday, Aug. 13 – first-year and other new students will move in at all residence hall locations, along with a select group of others including Dawg Days participants, aviation and automotive students, Saluki band members and some athletes, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
- Friday, Aug. 15 – returning students begin moving in across campus, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
For details or an interview regarding move-in, contact Kendra Bumpus, director of University Housing and Residence Life, at kendra.bumpus@siu.edu or 618-453-2301 or Jim Hunsaker, senior associate director of operations, at 618-453-1067, 618-201-2211 (cell) or jhuns@siu.edu.
Dozens of other activities are slated during Saluki Startup and Weeks of Welcome, including:
- Light up the Lake, Thursday, 7-9 p.m. at Campus Lake/Becker Pavilion.
- The Saluki Kickoff Pep Rally, Friday, 6-7:30 p.m. at Saluki Stadium.
- Chancellor’s Welcome Fest on Aug. 17, 1-3 p.m. on the Shryock Auditorium lawn.
- Video footage of the ride along Chancellor Austin Lane will be doing on Monday, Aug. 18, to give students golf-cart rides to classes as he chats and gets acquainted with them, will be available that evening on the SIU Facebook page and Chancellor Lane’s Facebook page.
- Taste of Carbondale, Aug. 24, 4-6:30 p.m. at the Wesley Foundation.
- The first home Saluki football game, Aug. 30, 6 p.m. at Saluki Stadium. New students will take to the field at 5:30 p.m. for the traditional Saluki Sprint.
For additional details, contact Jennifer Phillips, director of New Student Programs, at jennifer.phillips@siu.edu or 618-453-6419.